


Punk History 101

by Dinn4



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Adam Parrish & Blue Sargent Friendship, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Punk, Alternate Universe - Tattoos, Birthday Smut, College, F/M, M/M, NSFW, POV Blue Sargent, POV Richard Gansey III, Piercings, Punk, Punk Rock, Shameless Smut, Smut, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:35:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 23,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22177165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dinn4/pseuds/Dinn4
Summary: In which Gansey still can't help how he offends people in regards to money
Relationships: Richard Gansey III/Blue Sargent, Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish
Comments: 20
Kudos: 63





	1. Chapter 1

“You're going to be late,” Adam said, flicking Blue's tiny ponytail as he passed.

“Yeah, I know,” Blue snapped, shoving books into her bag in the living room of the small apartment she shared with Adam. It was a small two bedroom on the edge of the university campus. Cramped, but she could room with Adam instead of a stranger and it was cheaper than those in the surrounding town.

“You shoulda woke up when I tried the first time,” he called from the kitchen, the southern accent he only allowed Blue to hear slipping in.

“Fuck off,” Blue said under her breath.

“Heard that.” Adam leaned against the wall above her. He held out a yogurt and plastic spoon. “Breakfast.”

“Lifesaver,” she said gratefully with a kiss on the cheek and put the offerings in the top of her bag, hauling it onto her back.

“Have a good first day.”

“You too! See you tonight for dinner!” she called over her shoulder as she hurried out the door.

It was a ten minute walk across the campus to her Womens' History I class room and she had five minutes to do it in.

“Fuck,” she muttered and started power walking as fast as she could to the East side of campus.

She broke into the room, nearly out of breath but only one minute late, and took a seat at the only empty table in the room. The professor gave her a disapproving look but continued passing around syllabuses and then took up position at the front of the room.

Blue looked around as she pulled her yogurt out and popped the top. It was a small room, tiny really, when compared to the normal class size at her college. She did a quick head count and realized why. Most classes here had at least seventy and took place in a theater-style room. There were only about forty people in this class, which explained why it was relegated to a tiny room with two-person tables.

Just as she had finished her head count and started actually paying attention to the professor, someone burst into the room, much like she had only minutes before, and only slightly more dramatically. The boy slammed the door open, making it bounce against the wall. Completely out of breath, he asked loudly, “Is this Womens' History I with Professor Calla Johnson at ten A.M.?”

“Yes, boy, just get the hell in here and find a damn seat,” said the professor, clapping her hands at him. Nice. Blue loved the ones that didn't care about proper language and all that. They usually weren't ones to take any crap but would also tell it like it is without sugarcoating it for the complacent masses.

Blue was further pleased when he sat down in the only empty chair next to her and she actually got a good look at him. He was easily the hottest person Blue had ever seen in real life. Thick, dark hair, a decidedly regal nose, and full lips. A small, upside down, filled-in triangle rested under the corner of his eye. He wore a cutoff jacket with- Blue leaned back slightly so she could see- a Blink-182 logo on the back. What the jacket left exposed was covered in tattoos, all the way down his hands and on his fingers. A chain connected from one of his front belt loops to something in his back pocket, probably a wallet. Her eyes made their way down his long legs to rest on his feet. Black Converse.

_ Guess nobody's perfect _ , she thought to herself as she looked at her own mud-caked Vans designed with “ _ I heart girls I heart boys” _ . They matched Adam's.

Then she noticed that he was speaking. “-yourself?” he asked in a whisper.

“What?” Blue whispered back.

“The safety pins. In your ears. Did you pierce them through yourself?”

“Oh. Yeah, I did them myself with ice and a lighter,” she responded, proud of herself.

“You probably should've gone to a professional, that can be very dangerous.” One side of his lip curled up and he glanced down at her nearly empty yogurt container, the sugary fruit at the bottom the only thing left. “Are you going to finish that?”

“I didn't have the money. And no, you can have it.” She slid the fruit and spoon over to him.

“For a piercing? They're only about thirty a piece at most of the shops around here. I got my work done at this shop downtown.” He gestured to the spider bites in his lip and his stretched ears before scooping a spoonful of jelly.

“Yeah, that's a lot of money to drop at once,” Blue hedged.

“I could pay for them to fix your ear. Maybe we could get food after,” he offered, pulling his lip piercings into his mouth and tapping the spoon against the edge of the yogurt nervously.

Blue felt her face flush in embarrassment and anger. “My ears don't need fixin', thank you very much,” she bit out, her accent making an appearance. She put as much vitriol into her voice as she could. “And you can't bribe me into goin' on a date with you. You might have the money to throw around,” she looked pointedly at his clothes, which she now noticed were artfully ripped and converse that had to be brand new with the lack of scuffs on them, “but I'm not interested in any of it.”

“I didn't mean it like that,” he whispered. “I can't help where I came from either. I assure you that I didn't intend to sound like I was propositioning you and I apologize if it came out that way.”

Blue tried not to judge a book by its cover, but she had to admit she was surprised to have such an eloquent response from this extensively tattooed and pierced, punk rock looking boy. Though if she was right about his financial situation, she shouldn't be so surprised that he was well read and well educated.

She realized she was staring without responding. “Not everyone is impressed by your privileged life,” she finally said.

The boy's mouth opened to give an argument, but he promptly closed it and turned away from Blue, back towards the professor going page by page through the syllabus. Blue heard him mutter, “She's out of her mind.”

“You better be talking about the Blink song,” Blue said icily. He cut a quick sideways look at her but didn't respond.

“Okay,” Professor Johnson clapped her hands together. “I hope y'all will remember where you're sitting now because that will be your seat for the duration of this class. Before you go, introduce yourselves to the person sitting next to you because that will be your discussion partner for the next fifteen weeks.”

Blue breathed in deeply, looking up at the ceiling for one, two, three, four short seconds before blowing out and turning to face the tattooed boy again. She held her hand out. “Blue Sargent.”

“Gansey. Just Gansey.” He took her hand. “What kind of name is Blue?”

Blue bristled again. “What kind of name is Gansey, Just Gansey?”

“Gansey is my last name.”

“Well what's your first name?”

Gansey grimaced. “Never mind. Nice to meet you, Blue.”

“Wish I could say the same, Gansey. Bye,” she swept up her books and joined the crowd of people that were now filing out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter in which Blue comes for Gansey's whole life

“I didn't do anything to her! All I did was offer to take her on a date,” Gansey complained later that day on the way to the library. He kept running his tongue over his teeth, trying to rid them of the sugary residue left by the fruit jelly Blue had given him.

“And insult her piercings that she did all by herself. And attempt to bribe her into said date. And somehow connected those two things into one disaster of a sentence,” Ronan said. He paused to roll up the cuffs of his button down shirt.

“You know I didn't mean it like that.”

“Yeah, but she doesn't.”

“Whatever, man. I just misspoke and she has no heart to speak of,” Gansey said, disgruntled.

“That's definitely a Blink-182 song,” came a half-amused, half-angry voice from behind them. Gansey closed his eyes and prayed to every god he knew that he would turn around and it wouldn't be Blue. No such luck.

She stood with her arms crossed, covering what looked like a Nirvana smiley face on her baggy shirt. One hip was popped out, her jeans more ripped than Gansey's own, though hers looked like she'd actually worn them until the knees wore out. It was easy to imagine she'd had them that long since she was about the size of a middle schooler. In a rare show of restraint, Gansey didn't say anything about her clothes or height.

“If it makes you feel better, I didn't say no just because you tried to bribe me,” she continued. “It was also because you're a condescending dickwad and a spoiled rich kid playing dress up because you think it looks cool. You seem like one of those guys that sign up for a womens' studies class because you think it'll be a good place to pick up chicks. Which is exactly what you tried to do after sitting next to me for less than five minutes, so don't try to tell me you're not that kind of guy.”

For a second time that day, words failed Gansey. She was so wrong he wasn't sure where to begin.

Finally, instead of bothering to correct her, he just frowned and said, “That doesn't make me feel better at all.”

Ronan bust out laughing, doubling over with the force of his hysterics, and even Blue cracked an unwilling smile before schooling her face back into neutrality.

“Good. See you in class,” she said as she shoved between the boys to make her way into the library they had been heading toward.

“Well that went poorly,” Gansey observed.

“That was the single greatest thing that's ever happened to you,” Ronan contradicted him, still chortling. “That girl destroyed you.”

“Thank you, I'm so glad to have you as an integral part of my support system,” Gansey grumbled.

“Oh, come on, it's not like she's right. You know you're not like that.”

“Yeah, but I want her to know I'm not like that,” he said petulantly. Gansey couldn't help that he had been spoiled growing up, but he worked every day to do what he could with his privileged position in life. He hadn't meant to come off as condescending, but he could see how she might interpret it that way.

The thing that really stung was that she thought he was just taking this class to impress girls. He signed up for this class to supplement his history degree; he didn't want her thinking he came just to hit on girls.

Not that it mattered what she thought. He didn't need to convince a strange girl that he wasn't a lecherous creep, no matter how attractive he found her. Or how effortlessly cool she was. Or the fact that his brain stopped its constant buzzing the second he noticed her.

It didn't matter, there was no way his parents would approve of her. They already didn't approve of him or his pursuing of a history degree, and bringing home a girl wearing safety pins in her ears would not go over well. Besides, he had already screwed it up with her.

“Well let's get going, I already have homework,” Ronan said, a smile still on his face from Gansey's embarrassment.

“I can't go in there, she just went in. She'll think we're stalking her.”

Ronan sighed. “Fine, to the apartment then.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The deal is the deal

It had been a week since Gansey's ill fated attempt to pick up Blue, and she hadn't been back to class since. To be fair, the class had only met one time since then, on Wednesday, but Blue still felt like maybe Gansey would feel like she was avoiding him. And she wasn't. She had just picked up an extra shift at her waitress job that she worked to cover what her scholarship didn't, like books, and slightly more importantly, food.

Gansey probably didn't have to worry about missing class for money. About working a job on top of going to classes and maintaining a high GPA. Not as high as Adam's, but she was still proud of it. Gansey probably had a high GPA. He probably-

No. That was enough thinking about Gansey. She had been caught in a cycle of thinking of him and yelling at herself for thinking of him for days now.

It was just wasn't right. Someone shouldn't get to be rich _and_ attractive. Very attractive. Smoking hot. She wanted to lick from the base of his neck to-

_No_. She was going to be late again at the rate she was going. She dressed quickly and threw her Blink-182 hoodie over it all. The fact that Gansey seemed to talk in Blink song titles in no way affected her clothing choices today.

In fact, it was more her neighbor's fault than Gansey's. She could hear Blink-182's latest album playing loudly through the wall her headboard leaned against. A voice that didn't belong to any of the band members was weaving its way through the chorus, a little deeper, but still just as carefree.

She was just gathering her things in her backpack when she heard a loud, “Fuck!” and the music cut off, followed by loud scuffling and a muttered string of curses. Damn, these walls were paper thin. She grabbed a yogurt and spoon on her way past the kitchen and called a good bye over her shoulder to Adam.

Blue opened the door just as Gansey was passing, a bagel in his mouth, buttoning his jeans with his belt still undone and shoelaces untied. He stopped short, recognition blooming across his face, and then he looked as surprised as she felt.

“What are you doing here?” Blue demanded.

“I live here, what are you doing here?” he responded.

“I also live here.” It came out snippy. Then she processed what he'd said. “Wait, you're my _neighbor_?”

Gansey unfroze and began tightening his belt. “I guess we are. I'm right there.” He pointed to the next door over. Blue realized it must have been Gansey she heard through her bedroom wall. The loud outburst must have been because he was late to class again. Like she was.

“Whatever, I'm going to be late.” She pushed past him into the hall and half-jogged down the hall to push the down button for the elevator. Gansey followed behind, slower despite his much longer legs.

He got there right as the elevator doors opened. They stepped in silently and Gansey pressed the button for the first floor. Blue settled on the opposite side of the elevator from Gansey, as far away as she could manage in the small space. He quietly munched on his bagel while she glared at him. He didn't even look at her, instead choosing to stare at the numbers descending as they did. She wasn't sure if she wanted him to notice her glare or not look at her at all.

The doors dinged open and they were off, hurrying to their class. Well, Blue was hurrying. Gansey stayed with her, though as tall as he was, he could have lapped her by now.

“What are you doing? Get to class,” she huffed as she power walked as fast as she could without drawing attention to herself.

“I'm walking with you. That way neither of us has to face Calla's wrath alone,” he reasoned.

“I'd rather her call me out in front of the whole class than let people think we're coming in _together_.”

“We could always ditch.”

Blue rolled her eyes. “I already missed Wednesday, I can't afford not to go today.”

“If it makes you feel better, I missed Wednesday too,” Gansey offered. “One extra day won't kill us.”

“I can't skip, I have to keep up my GPA for my scholarship,” Blue said, annoyed. Of course he'd be fine not going to class, he had the money to be here either way. Blue didn't have that luxury.

“Oh.” Gansey looked properly chastened. “Well, it actually looks like we might make it,” he glanced at his watch before picking up his pace a little. Blue matched it with no small amount of effort.

They made it into the room with just one minute to spare. The professor gave them a look but didn't say anything as they took their seats in the back.

“All right class, today we'll be resuming our conversations about the suffragette movement and how women of color contributed and were ultimately betrayed by it. Talk with your conversation partner for another fifteen minutes and then we'll reconvene as a whole to discuss,” Calla instructed from in front of the white board.

Blue sighed and turned toward Gansey. Before they could start on the assignment, the professor walked up to their shared desk and rapped her long, red nails against the laminate. “It's lucky you both missed Wednesday, so we still had even numbers and neither of you is ahead of the other,” she said, her voice thick with sarcasm. Blue opened her mouth to explain that she had been at work but Calla just held up a hand. “I don't care what you do, just make sure your grade doesn't slip. This isn't high school, I will fail you if you don't watch yourselves.” With that, she stalked back down the aisle to settle at her desk.

“Damn it,” Blue groaned and put her head in her hands. “I absolutely cannot be late again.”

“Maybe we can hold each other accountable,” Gansey suggested.

“What?” She looked at him between her fingers.

“We can hold each other accountable. Like we both set alarms and make sure we both make it to class. I mean since we live next to each other and all.” He was picking at one of the frays in his jeans, trying to look cool though he was obviously a little nervous.

Blue stared. “Are you seriously asking me out again right now?”

“No, no, of course not. It didn't go so well the first time, did it? It would just be making sure we both show up and get a good grade. We are conversation partners, if one of us doesn't show up, it kind of screws the other anyway.” He shrugged to show how little he cared about her answer.

Blue deliberated for a moment. Gansey was annoying and condescending and insufferable but on the other hand, she really did need a good grade in this class. It was an important class for her degree and she would need the credit in order to take the higher level womens' history classes.

“Fine,” she said finally. “We make sure we both get to class or,” she paused, thinking of her job and how she might have to pick up more shifts, “we at least get notes for the other if we can't make it.”

“Deal,” Gansey said, holding out his hand.

She took it, shaking once. His hand was warm and soft, with long fingers and a wide palm. She wanted to keep holding it, or at least direct towards another part of her body. She shook her head and snatched it back. “Deal,” she repeated.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gansey just couldn't mind his own damn business

“What do you want to do for your birthday?” Adam called from the living room.

Blue was bent over, looking through the fridge for something more substantial than yogurt to eat. “Nothing,” she called back without much hope.

“It's your twenty-first birthday, we can't do nothing,” Adam appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. “Let's go to Cabeswater.”

Cabeswater was a large club downtown that was popular with the college crowd. It played nothing but EDM. Blue hated EDM. “Why don't you just offer up a screwdriver for me to plunge into my ears instead? It'd be faster and less painful.”

“Look, I already asked for the night off from the shop and this is a big birthday. We have to celebrate at least a little,” he tugged at a lock of her hair and then tucked it behind her ear.

“Ugh. Fine. We can go to Cabeswater, but just for a couple drinks. No repeats of your last birthday.” 

Adam grimaced. “Definitely not.”

“I'm going out for a smoke. Coming?” she asked as she walked away from the fridge, giving up on her quest for real food. 

“No, I actually have to get ready for class now.”

“Fine, be that way,” she said, but smiled over her shoulder at him.

Blue had literally just lit her cigarette and taken the first drag when she heard the unintelligible yelling.

“That's so- I can't believe- why would you- gross- disgusting- bad for you- what are you doing?” Gansey spluttered above where she was sitting on the bench outside her apartment building.

Instead of answering, she just looked him in the eyes and released her cloud of smoke into his face.

He jerked back a step, stumbling over his own feet and waving the smoke away. “Second-hand smoke is not a joke!”

Blue stifled a laugh as Gansey rubbed his hands down his shirt, as though he could physically brush off the smoke she had breathed on him. “It's not a joke,” he repeated. “Seven thousand people die each year of lung cancer caused by second-hand smoke. The number is higher for people that actually smoke.” He looked pointedly at her.

“Yeah, yeah. I could give you a long spiel about how I'm trying to quit and how I only started because my daddy didn't love me or whatever, but honestly I don't care enough to. I started smoking when I was sixteen because I thought it made me look cool. I don't quit because I like it.” She shrugged. “I've already accepted my future as a Starbucks employee that bites it from lung cancer.” She took another long drag and blew it at Gansey again, but not before noticing the way his eyes lingered on her lips.

“I don't think you're taking this seriously.”

“Oh, no, absolutely I'm not. But you can keep going on about the statistics of people dying. Really, I don't mind.”

“Well more than 443,000 people die from it each year, which is higher than murder, or car accidents, or-”

“Okay, looks like I do mind.” Blue stood up and put her cigarette out on the bench, throwing it into the garbage can. “See you later, Gansey.”

“Wait, I'll walk up with you,” he fell into step with her.

Things had settled into a comfortable, decidedly less hostile rhythm with Gansey. Every Monday and Wednesday Blue's alarm went off at nine in the morning and she would walk to the front door and peek her head out. Most days he would be looking back at her from his own door and they would nod at each other, get ready separately and meet in the hallway at nine forty-five to walk to class together. They would sit next to each other and Blue would even give him the fruit bits at the bottom of her daily yogurt.

They had each had to knock on the other's door once so far; Blue had slept in one day and Gansey had been listening to his music too loud once and missed his alarm.

So far, Gansey hadn't insulted her again- accidentally or otherwise- and he also hadn't asked her out again. Which Blue appreciated. Even though he clearly wanted to, and a couple times Blue had thought he was close to doing it.

Another part of their rhythm: every night at about ten, she would go to her room, quietly get ready, and lay in her bed to listen to Gansey on the other side of their shared wall. Gansey wasn't strictly aware of this particular development. She had to do everything in her room quietly so that Gansey wouldn't discover that the walls were as thin as they were, but it was worth it to listen to him sing along to his music or mutter about his classwork or grumble about his roommate.

She didn't know why she liked listening to him, exactly. He was a good singer for sure, weaving his voice in seamlessly with the music. There was also something about his voice when he was talking only to himself that sent tingles to all the right parts in her body.

She shivered slightly just thinking about it.

“You cold?” Gansey asked. “It's starting to get cold.” 

It wasn't actually that cold yet, but Blue gladly took the out. “Yeah, a bit. Let's get inside,” she said, pulling open the door to the building.

The ride up to the fourth floor was a short one. As they were stepping out of the elevator, Adam came out of their apartment, sporting a backpack weighed down with heavy books and his “I heart boys/girls” shoes.

“Hey there,” Adam said, surprised to see somebody with Blue.

“Hello,” Gansey said politely.

“Gansey this is my roommate, Adam. Adam, this is Gansey from my womens' history class. He also lives next door,” Blue introduced them.

“Oh, Spoiled Brat?” Adam asked, offering his hand.

“The very same.”

“Gansey is fine,” Gansey said good-naturedly. 

The door next to them swung open and a very tidy looking guy came out of Gansey's apartment. Blue recognized him as the boy that was with Gansey that first day when she had snapped at him outside the library. This time, she noticed he had a tattoo that hooked up the back of his neck from under his shirt. Not so clean-cut after all.

“Hey, Gansey, I was just texting you. I'm heading to class now, but afterward we should get food. Oh, hey,” he said, finally noticing the other two. “I remember you. You're Blue, right? And you, you're in my Public Speaking class.” His eyes had landed on Adam and stayed there. They were currently running a course from Adam's face to his hands to his shoes and back again, over and over. “Ronan.”

“Adam,” Adam said with a smirk. He had clearly noticed Ronan's circuit over his body.

“It's actually nearly time for that class. Want to walk together?”

“Sure,” Adam gave Blue a kiss on the cheek and headed to the elevator with Ronan.

“That your boyfriend?” Gansey asked, and Blue didn't think she was imagining the jealousy in his voice.

“Ex, actually,” Blue said.

“You live with your ex?”

Blue bristled at his tone. “Yes. We came from the same town on scholarships. When we got out of our small town we just realized that we were only together out of comfort. There are other datable people in the world. We're still best friends so we decided to move out of the dorms together.”

“Oh. Well that's cool that you're still so tight,” he backpedaled. 

“Yeah, I think so too. Well, see you Monday.” She gave him a small wave as she slipped into her apartment.

She paused to listen to the door to his apartment closing, then ran on the balls of her feet to her room and laid down on the bed. A minute later, she heard the door on the other side of the wall click and music started playing. Blue settled down into her bed to listen.

Gansey was just singing along to his music, which wasn't as interesting to Blue. She thought about his visible jealousy at the thought that she might be with Adam. She had to admit she liked it.

While she was pondering that thought, Gansey's voice changed. He was no longer singing, but talking. It sounded like he was talking to himself again. She froze in order to hear him better.

“So stupid. Shouldn't have asked her like that. She probably thinks you're judging her.” He was talking about Blue. That knowledge sent a small thrill through her. “Idiot.” Something heavy thunked against the wall, probably his head, then after a minute he started singing again.

Blue smiled to herself. At least he was learning.

She got up and got dressed in her pajamas very early, a big shirt and flannel pants. She crawled back into bed, still thinking about Gansey's face when he asked her if she was with Adam. His face in general, really. She thought of him leaning against the paper-thin wall behind her, closer than she usually was, really.

Being that close to Gansey.... Blue liked the thought of that. The thought of the voice she listened to turned gravelly and breathy and wanting. For her.

Blue's hand slipped lower and lower, into her pajama pants. She sighed contentedly as her hand breached her underwear. She usually only masturbated when Adam was gone because she was kind of loud when cumming, and knew she was tempting fate with Gansey right on the other side of the wall, but his music was loud enough to cover her if she did happen to make a noise.

She pulled her hand out of her underwear and shoved her bottoms off and let them crumple at the end of her bed. Then she reached into her bedside table and pulled out her small vibrator.

Blue stretched out across her bed and slid the vibrator between her legs. Another sigh as she slid it out and back in again. Nothing changed on the other side of the wall, so she chanced a small moan. Still nothing. She started rubbing her clit with the middle finger of her other hand. Her leg twitched from the sensation, the feeling starting to build low in her belly. Another pass of the vibrator, another quiet moan.

She started moving faster, faster, faster, breathing in raggedly and out in moans. She thought of Gansey's hands, his long fingers moving in and out of her in time with her toy. Her hips started thrusting up of their own accord as the wave behind her clit reached a peak and she cried out her pleasure. Her hips went down hard and she was shaking and moaning through the orgasm.

When she finally recovered from the aftershocks, she turned off the vibrator and listened to what was happening on the other side of the wall. She couldn't hear anything so she figured she'd gotten away with-

Wait. She couldn't hear anything.

A loud knock sounded from the front door.

“Fuck,” she muttered, but didn't move.

A minute passed before another knock came, more insistent and followed by a hesitant, “Blue? Are you okay in there? Are you hurt?”

_Oh for fuck's sake_ , she thought. _Guess we're doing this_.

She got up, still wearing nothing but the big shirt, and opened the door.

“Hey, are you okay? I... heard... some noises....” He trailed off as he took in her barely covered form.

“Yes, Gansey, I am perfectly fine, as you can see.” Blue propped her fist on her hip.

“What was that? I thought you were hurt you were yelling so loud, I-” he cut off as she fixed him with a baleful glare. “Oh. Oh! I'm so sorry. I was just checking- you know that you were okay- wait, can you hear me through the wall too?” He looked mortified.

“Sometimes,” Blue admitted, though she was loath to.

“Oh my God, have you heard me, you know....” He gestured to her half naked state.

“Bye, Gansey.” She winked and closed the door on him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Birthday fuckery

Blue wasn't a fan of birthdays. It was just an arbitrary date that you celebrate sliding out of another human being. It didn't even make sense, shouldn't you be giving the mother the presents? She was the one that did all the work, anyway.

Okay, that wasn't true. Blue didn't have any problem with birthdays themselves, or even necessarily celebrating with close friends and family. She hated going out, especially to a club that every college kid in this town would be at on a Saturday night. All those people packed in like sardines, moving and gyrating to the, quite frankly, horrible music was a nightmare for Blue.

But it was her twenty-first, and Adam insisted that they had to go out for her first legal drink. Adam rarely wanted to go out or really do anything that didn't involve working or class during the school year, so she supposed she could at least do this for him.

So that was how she found herself nearly bent over the bar at Cabeswater, people pushing from behind her until she was in this uncomfortable position. She was in a low cut tank top that must have allowed everyone a peek at her cleavage in this position and her tightest and least ripped jeans that fit her like a second skin, her best attempt at looking sexy. She refused to put on makeup. Music was thumping in her ears, the vibrations echoing around her chest.

Adam was directly behind her, trying to shield her from the bulk of the crowd, but really all he did was push her farther into the bar counter and he couldn't protect her from the people on either side of her. Someone's sweaty back touched her left arm and she automatically cringed away, slamming into the person on her right.

“Sorry!” she yelled, trying to be heard over the music.

“Don't worry about it,” he yelled back over his shoulder without looking at her. The voice was familiar.

“Gansey?” He turned around at his name, looking very surprised to find Blue next to him. “Are you stalking me or something?” she asked, only half kidding. She hadn't seen him since he had heard her through the wall, but what were the odds he'd be here the one night she actually went out?

Fairly high, actually, now that she thought of it, since it was the weekend and this was the closest club to campus.

“No, what? Of course not. I'm here almost every weekend, if anything you're stalking me. I am an easy target,” he said.

“Blink-182 song,” Blue said with a smirk. Then, “Wait, you come here every weekend? Why would you do that to yourself?”

“Hey, I'm here because Ronan loves the music here and I come to make sure he doesn't get out of control. You're here, too. ”

“I'm here because Adam,” she jerked her thumb over her shoulder, “demanded that we go out for my birthday.”

“It's your birthday?” he shouted, even louder than necessary. “Happy Birthday! Let me buy you a drink.”

“Thanks, but it's okay, I can buy my own drinks.” Blue didn't like other people buying her things, and she particularly didn't want Gansey to buy her anything with his probably massive trust fund.

“It's your birthday, let me get it.”

“Really, don't bother.”

“I insist,” he said firmly, pulling out a fifty and waving it so the bar tender would notice and finally make her way over to them. “What are you and Adam having?”

“Vodka, neat,” she said, giving in.

“Can we get two double vodkas, neat, and a whiskey on the rocks?” Gansey asked politely, whereas everyone else was calling out commands. He held out the fifty. The bartender took it and quickly made their drinks. When she put down the drinks in front of them, she took Gansey's hand and slid a napkin into it and winked. Then she disappeared to the opposite side of the bar.

Gansey unfolded the napkin and found a number written on it. His eyebrows pulled down and he crumpled the napkin and dropped it on the floor.

“What did you do that for?” Adam called from behind Blue, grabbing for his drink. “She was into you.”

“I'm just not into her,” Gansey shrugged. A small rush of relief that Blue didn't quite understand welled up in her chest. “Here, happy birthday.” He pushed Blue's drink toward her.

“Thanks.” She took the drink and, after bumping it against Adam's, she downed the whole thing in two large gulps, Adam following suit.

She slammed the glass down on the bar and turned back to Gansey, who was watching her silently with a kind of awestruck expression.

“You're meant to sip it,” he finally managed.

Blue shrugged. “Why suffer the awful taste longer than absolutely necessary?” She took out a debit card and started flagging down the bartender again.

When she finally made her way back to them, she looked only at Gansey. “Can I get you anything else?”

Blue snapped her fingers in front of the bartender's face to get her to turn her attention back to Blue. “Eight kamikazes and... what are you drinking, Gansey?”

“I'm still good with my whiskey,” Gansey said in a choked voice. When the bartender left, he looked down at Blue. “Eight kamikazes?”

“Four for me, four for Adam.”

“You two really don't mess around when it comes to drinking, do you?” Blue just winked at him. “Hey, about the other day, and the... misunderstanding. I'm really sorry-”

“Don't even worry about it. It was nothing.” The bartender came around again and this time dropped the drinks off without another word. Blue split up the shots for her and Adam and they quickly made short work of them.

Blue was just now starting to feel the vodka, and the kamikazes were sure to follow soon. She started swaying to the beat of the music, moving her hips in time.

“I thought you hated this music,” Adam laughed, putting his hands on her hips and moving with her.

“I do, but it's a good beat,” she shouted back.

A hand fell on Gansey's shoulder. “Gansey, what are you doing, you've been gone for like twenty-” Ronan cut off when he saw Blue and Adam. “Oh, hey guys.”

“Hey yourself,” Adam winked at him, grinding a little more enthusiastically into Blue.

Ronan's eyes grew wide and he slammed down the rest of the drink in his hand. Then he held a hand out to Adam. “Can I cut in?”

“Mmmm,” Blue pretended to deliberate.”I suppose I can part with him for one song.” Adam gave her hips a squeeze and then took Ronan's outstretched hand. They disappeared into the crowd together.

“They're cute,” Gansey observed.

“They really are,” Blue agreed. The kamikazes were slowly working through her, loosening her shoulders and making her hips swing with more confidence.

“Would you like to dance?” Gansey asked, his eyes stuck on her hips.

Blue pretended to deliberate again. “I guess I don't see why not.” She took Gansey's hand and he spun her onto the dance floor.

Gansey was a good dancer, if not for the type of music playing. He grasped her hands and spun her around and around on the floor, despite the small amount of room. After two songs of this, Blue stopped him.

“Okay, time to learn how to dance like a normal college student now.” She took his hands and smoothed them down her sides until they rested on her hips. She saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard. “Good, now remember how Adam was moving against me earlier? Try to move your hips like that.” He tried to move his hips against her, but it was jerky and uncoordinated. “No, okay watch my hips.” She positioned herself against his leg and started grinding shamelessly against it, putting her hands in her hair and looking up at Gansey, who was desperately trying to look at her face and hips and not down her shirt.

She laughed loudly and took his hips, moving him the way she wanted him to. After a minute, he seemed to settle into the movements and get more comfortable grinding into her.

She whooped loudly- the shots were definitely kicking in- and turned her back to him, grinding backwards against him. She reached up and put her arms around the back of Gansey's neck to pull his head down close beside her own.

The song finished and immediately melted into the next beat. Blue was still pressing her ass hard into Gansey's hips, so she almost didn't hear the quiet “fuck” in her ear. Blue tried to turn back to see what the problem was, but Gansey still had a hard grip on her waist.

“What's wrong?” Blue asked, but before he could answer, she could suddenly feel it. Something very hard was pressing into her back. Gansey tried to pull her away from it, but she grabbed his hands and pulled him back to her, pressing herself back against him and moving back and forth, providing friction. Gansey moaned deeply and tightened his grip on her hips, pulling her back now instead of away, and it grew bigger and harder.

Blue smiled slightly and turned around. She fisted the collar of Gansey's shirt and drew him down so he was level with her and kissed him. Hard. Gansey didn't move, surprised by the sudden new development. She took the opportunity to shove her tongue past his lips and tangle it with his. He finally recovered and pulled her tighter to him, pushing his erection into her lower stomach.

She let his shirt go and pulled away slightly. Gansey was staring at her already, hunger in his eyes. “Do you want to get out of here?”

“Yes, absolutely,” Gansey said.

Blue took his hand and began leading him through the crowd back to home.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dom!Gansey is my shit y'all

Blue's back slammed against the wall between Gansey's apartment and her own. Gansey was in front of her, pinning her to the wall, one leg between both of hers so she could get the friction she so desperately needed.

Gansey backed up and Blue made a small noise of protest. “Keys,” he gasped. Hands shaking, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys, fumbling as he tried to find the right one. He dropped them as he attempted to shove it into the keyhole.

Blue took this opportunity to text Adam:  _ At Gansey's. See you tomorrow. _

She slipped the phone back into her back pocket as Gansey finally managed to open the door. He ushered her in and slammed the door behind them. She looked around. It was clearly a bachelor pad, a comfortable looking couch pushed against one wall, a massive television mounted on the opposite one. Jackets were thrown over a leather chair, shoes left in a messy heap in front of the door.

“Nice place,” she commented.

“Thank you,” Gansey said politely. Then he spun her around and kissed her in a very impolite way. They kicked off their shoes to leave by the door and met again, hot and heavy, as Gansey directed her to his bedroom backwards by her hips. He kicked the door closed behind him and gently pushed Blue farther into the room. “Take off your clothes. Now.”

“Excuse me?” Blue asked, not used to a commanding Gansey.

“I said,” he slowly undid and removed his belt, “take off all your clothes.”

Blue felt a little thrill go through her. There was more than just hunger in Gansey's eyes now, there was a fire, and the expectation that she would listen to him.

“What happens if I don't?” she asked, trying to keep her face straight and just barely failing. Her playful smile gave her away.

“You don't want to?” Gansey asked, voice low.

“I didn't say that. Maybe I want you to rip them off me.”

“I don't think so.” He grabbed Blue by the hips again and pushed her down on the bed. Blue thought he would cover her body with his own, resume the making out. He didn't.

Instead, he flipped her over so she was on her stomach, pulled down her jeans, and smacked her ass sharply. Blue moaned involuntarily. She looked over her shoulder to see Gansey smiling to himself. “What do you think about taking your clothes off now?” She shook her head. Another smack, another moan. “Now?” She shook her head again, but less fervently. She was getting tired of not having Gansey between her legs.  _ Smack _ . “And now?”

“Yes,” she breathed.

“Yes what?”

“I'll take off my clothes for you.” Gansey nodded and allowed Blue to get up off the bed. He sat on the end to watch her.

She pushed one of her knees between Gansey's, separating them so she could fit herself between them. Then she crossed her arms in front of herself, grabbing the hem of her tank top and lifting it slowly over her head. Gansey's eyes roamed over the top half of her body, stopping at her waist where she was unbuttoning her jeans. She shimmied out of them, hips moving like they had in the club. Her socks came off with them and then she was standing in front of Gansey in her underwear. She thanked every god she knew that she had worn her nice black bra and panties to go out tonight.

Gansey seemed to be doing the same, choking out a “dear god”. Blue smiled to herself and reached back to undo the clasp on her bra, letting the straps drag down her arms and dropping it on her pile of clothes. Then she slowly stepped out of her panties.

Gansey's breath came out in one big rush. “Is that...?” He ran his knuckle over the two sparkling black gems on Blue's hood piercing. She shivered as it sent a bolt of lightning up her spine.

Gansey dropped from his sitting position on the bed to his knees, running his hands up and down the outsides of Blue's legs, never taking his eyes off the piercing. She shivered as he reached her knees again and turned his hands inward. “Spread,” he commanded. This time, Blue listened because she knew what was coming. “You are a vision,” he murmured as he slipped a finger into Blue. She moaned loudly, both at the finger and his words. “Gorgeous. Smart, funny, and beautiful.” Another finger. “A goddamned goddess.” And then his mouth was on her and she lost the concept of words. A high keening noise left her mouth and her chin hit her chest as she watched Gansey's mouth work against her. Her fingers found their way into his hair and pulled sharply. Gansey growled from between her legs but never stopped his rhythm. He put his hands on her ass, grabbing and squeezing, almost to the point of pain. This only made Blue moan more. Her legs began to shake and she cried out a warning. Gansey's only response was to press his tongue harder against her clit. Blue's eyes rolled up and she went limp as a strong wave of pleasure overtook her. Gansey's hands on her ass kept her both upright and against his tongue as he continued his passes over her clit as she shuddered through her orgasm.

Only when the black spots cleared from her vision and she could stand back on her own two legs did Gansey release her. “Good?” he asked.

“Good,” she confirmed. “Very good.”

He looked very smug, so Blue gave a tug on the hair that she still had in her hands. She leaned down to kiss him deeply, moaning when she could taste herself on his tongue. She untangled her fingers from Gansey's hair and started pulling on his shirt, trying to tug it off. Standing up, he chuckled and pulled away from her, grabbing his shirt from the back of the neck and pulling it over his head in one smooth motion.

Blue took a minute to admire Gansey's chest and arms. She had never noticed, but Gansey had some nice muscles. His shoulders were broad, nearly twice the width of her own. His arms were built, but his stomach was lean, only lightly muscled.

He wasn't the only one who could worship.

Blue fell to her knees, unbuttoning his jeans and pulling them down along with his boxers. His dick swung free and she grabbed it in her left hand. She was surprised to find something shiny here too. A reverse Prince Albert piercing, curving through the top of the head, two silver balls at either end. She admired the piercing for a moment, then brought her mouth close and looked up at Gansey until he met her eyes. She gave the head a kitten lick. Gansey shuddered out a deep breath and his dick twitched in her hand. She covered the head with her mouth and gave a hard suck.

“Fuuuuck,” Gansey moaned above her. She sucked again, this time moving her hand down the shaft at the same time. She brought the hand back up and then down again, sucking as she went down and breathing as she came back up. Gansey's hand reached into Blue's hair and pushed her head down a little further on his dick. “Deeper,” he ordered.

Blue popped off. “No,” she said, just to see what he would do to her this time. He couldn't spank her from this position.

“I said, deeper,” he rumbled, voice low and gravelly, just like Blue had imagined it being in her masturbatory dreams.

“I said, no,” Blue responded, flashing a smile.

Gansey brought one hand to her face, caressing her cheek. Then the other came up and wrapped around her throat. He put a small amount of pressure into his grip. “Deeper.”

“No,” it came out only a bit strained.

He grabbed a little tighter. “Now?” Blue could only shake her head now. An evil glint entered his eyes. He removed the hand from her cheek and wrapped it around his dick, pumping quickly and gripping her throat as hard as possible without bruising her. She gave a squeak, but it was out of indignation, not pain. She didn't want to him to cum before she could put him back in her mouth. Or other places.

She nodded her head yes, though she could barely move her head now. He must have gotten the message because he released her throat and wove his fingers back into her hair.

Then Blue got an idea.

She reached behind her and grabbed each of her ankles in her hands and opened her mouth for him.

“You're sure?” he asked, though his eyes betrayed his hunger.

“ Yes,” she answered breathily.

Gansey licked his lips and put his hands in Blue's hair again and put his dick in Blue's mouth. She closed her lips around it and then Gansey was moving her head over his dick again and again. He began to moan deeply and often. Blue already knew he was a moaner from listening through the wall.

He soon began to jerk his hips forward as he got closer, pushing it even deeper into Blue's throat. Gansey moaned, louder than the rest and immediately pulled Blue off him.

“Hey, you were just about to cum,” Blue protested.

“I know, and there's no way I'm going to cum before even getting inside you,” he grunted, pulling her up and throwing her into the bed. He crawled over her, rubbing the head of his dick over her clit. He pulled back a little and took his dick in one hand, tapping the bottom silver ball of his piercing against the gems of her hood piercing. It made a funny little clicking noise, but it sent a little waves of shock up her back that came out as whimpers.

Gansey leaned over to the bedside table and pulled out a condom. With deft movements, he opened it and rolled it down the shaft. He pressed the tip against her vagina. Her leaned down to kiss Blue one more time before sliding in.

Both Gansey and Blue moaned as he sank all the way in. He waited for Blue to adjust to the fullness before pulling out almost to the tip. Then he went back in. This time, Blue crooked her legs behind Gansey and pulled them back, pressing Gansey closer and faster. He acquiesced, pounding into her harder.

His right hand wandered across her chest, which was jiggling with every thrust and Gansey couldn't take his eyes off it, and came to rest back on her throat, so he was essentially doing a one armed plank over her. A light squeeze had her entire body tightening in anticipation.

“I- I'm going to cum,” Gansey ground out.

Blue's eyes widened and she started rubbing her clit in small, quick circles. She wanted to cum with him still inside her. His thrusts were getting faster, more erratic now. She came first, with Gansey's hand still choking her, walls tightening around him, causing Gansey to finally fall over the edge and cum.

Once he had recovered, he quickly rolled off her so he wouldn't crush her to death. He put one arm behind his head and lifted the other so she could cuddle up against his side.

“So, you're into the dom/sub kink, huh?” she asked once she could talk again.

“Was that okay? The spanking and choking I mean,” he sounded unsure.

“Yeah. Yes. It was more than okay. It was amazing,” she responded truthfully and enthusiastically.

“Okay, good.” He yawned heavily. “I want... it to be... good for you too...,” he trailed off, already falling asleep.

Blue settled closer into Gansey, laying her head on his chest and started to nod off herself.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smoking is a terrible habit but damn if it isn't hot

Blue woke up to sunlight streaming from the window directly into her eyes. She squinted and looked over to the left at the very naked boy laying next to her, fast asleep and radiating a ridiculous amount of heat. She must have gotten moved when he rolled over, dropping her from her place on his chest.

She took stock of the situation. She was groggy and vaguely hungover, though not nearly as bad as after Adam's twenty-first. By the light outside, it was afternoon at least. She was naked, and so was Gansey from what she could see above the comforter. She distinctly remembered running into Gansey, dancing with Gansey, and....

A shiver ran through her as she remembered what she and Gansey had gotten up to last night.

She crawled to the end of the bed and grabbed at her clothes, still in a pile on the floor, looking for her phone. She found it in the back pocket of her jeans. It was nearly dead, but there was enough juice for her to check her notifications. There were a hundred texts from Adam, as well as four missed calls. She scrolled through the texts quickly.

They started off playful, talking about how he knew she was into him and how he was taking Ronan to their own apartment, and slowly descended into thinly veiled panic. The last one was sent five minutes earlier:  _ If you don't answer me or come home in ten minutes, I'm sending Ronan to check on you. Imagine how embarrassing it will be for him to walk in and see you naked. Seriously, message me. _

Blue breathed a heavy sigh. She was grateful to have a friend like Adam and hated worrying him. She fired off a message:  _ Still at Gansey's. Sorry I worried you. Phone is dying, be home soon. _

She dropped her phone on the bed and stood up to start putting on her clothes, trying to be as quiet as possible, as not to wake up Gansey. She had just pulled her underwear back on and clasped her bra when a warm hand wrapped around her wrist.

“What time is it?” Gansey asked, voice thick with sleep.

“One in the afternoon,” Blue replied, trying to pull her wrist back, but he held firmly, slipping his hand down to intertwine their fingers.

“Wow, really? I never sleep that well. Where are you going?”

“I was just leaving.”

“Don't go,” he said softly, opening his eyes all the way now.

“It's kind of late...,” she murmured noncommittally. He let go of her hand momentarily to shut the blinds, the light between leaving bright strips across her body.

“Sorry I kept you up all night,” Gansey said, not seeming sorry in the slightest.

“Blink song,” Blue said automatically, then smiled. “Don't worry about it. I enjoyed being kept.” She winked.

Gansey's face turned red but he didn't let go of her hand. “Then stay, maybe we can go for round two.”

Blue deliberated for a minute. She really did want to stay, much to her surprise, but she had told Adam she would be back soon....

“I at least need to smoke,” she finally said, reaching down for her jeans.

“Wait,” Gansey looked around before pulling a ceramic ashtray that looked more like it was for decoration than practical use. “Glad I made this last semester. Here, you can use this.”

Blue stared at him. “Gansey, these are university apartments. You can't smoke in here.”

“Sure you can, I'll Febreeze later. I'll steam clean the floors. I'll scrub the walls free of paint if I have to, just please come back to bed,” he pleaded.

She stood there for a minute, measuring Gansey's sincerity while still half naked. Eventually she shrugged and pulled the pack from her jeans. She patted the pack against the heel of her palm, pulled the lighter out from the pack where she kept it when there was room, and tapped out a cigarette. She lit up and took a drag. Her muscles immediately relaxed.

Blue blew out the smoke, making rings with her mouth to show off a little, and settled her eyes on Gansey. He was still naked, every part of him visible except a bit of blanket covering from his upper thighs to his stomach. He looked glorious, glowing, hair mussed just right, and a hundred megawatt smile.

“What happened to 'seven thousand people a year die from second-hand smoke'?” she asked, flicking some ash from the end of her cigarette.

“For you to stay here, looking like that, I'm willing to risk it,” he raked his eyes down her body appreciatively. “God, smoking is a filthy habit, but fuck if it isn't hot.” He patted the bed next to him, an invitation for her to take her filthy habit to the bed.

Instead of just laying back down next to him, she put her cigarette in her mouth and crawled over the bed, moving the blanket out of the way and swinging one leg over his hips to straddle him. She inhaled deeply and blew the smoke back out to the side to avoid getting it in Gansey's face.

Gansey's eyes were wide as he stared up, trying to take in as much of her body as possible. “Oh my God,” he whispered. Without the blanket between them, Blue could feel him getting hard again, pressing up against her ass.

He fumbled his hand back to the nightstand, trying not to take his eyes off her. He didn't seem able to find what he was looking for so he unwillingly tore his eyes away from her to search. He returned a minute later with an old analog camera.

“I didn't know this would come in so handy when I signed up for a photography class,” he muttered, mainly to himself. He positioned it so it would be a long shot of most of Blue's body. “Do you mind?”

She thought about it for a minute, ultimately deciding that it couldn't hurt if you couldn't see it was her. “Just don't get my face.” She took another long drag as he put the camera in focus. When he was ready, she leaned her head back, releasing her smoke as an extra layer of protection for her identity. Gansey took the picture just as the smoke was drifting down toward her breasts.

“Fuck,” Gansey whispered softly, but with feeling as he looked back at her.

“Can I see?” Blue asked. 

“It’s an old analog camera, you can’t see until I develop the film.” 

“Oh,” she said a little disappointed, though using an old film camera for his fifteen hundred dollar course was the most Gansey thing she could think of.

“I don’t know what the final product will look like yet, but I can tell you right now, it'll be my masterpiece.”

Blue cleared her throat, not used to this level of adoration. He was staring again, so she took another drag and tapped the ash into the tray. A couple more inhalations and it was done. She tamped it out and turned back to Gansey. He looked... worshipful. The way he looked at her made her feel desired. This was just a one night stand, but she wanted to feel this way just a little longer.

“Can you text Ronan? He's with Adam. Tell them my phone died but I'm not coming home just yet.”

Gansey beamed. “Absolutely.” He typed out a quick message and threw his phone somewhere in the blanket, bringing both his hands around Blue to grab at her ass, using the leverage to slide Blue back and forth over his hard on.

They both moaned quietly at the friction. Blue began to grind down with every pass, which only served to make Gansey impossibly harder. He grabbed Blue by the back of the neck, pulling her down roughly to kiss her. She groaned as this new angle rubbed her clit piercing against Gansey's dick.

Blue continued her grinding until Gansey was literally panting, thrusting his hips up to meet hers. “Condom?” she whispered in his ear, pulling at the lobe with her teeth.

He quickly opened the drawer again and returned with the condom. Blue sat up, removing herself from his lap and taking the condom. She slowly rolled it down, squeezing a little tighter than needed, which elicited another groan from Gansey. She slid her underwear to the right, positioning herself over the head and began to ease him into her. She paused when her hips hit Gansey's, letting herself adjust to the feeling of him inside her. She felt amazingly full, the fire in her belly growing, rather than being sated.

Blue grabbed the headboard for leverage and Gansey gripped her hips, presumably to guide her down. She allowed herself to be lifted up, nearly completely off his dick, but before he could pull her close again, she slammed back down. Gansey's eyes went wide and he ground out a gritty “Fuckshitgoddamnitthatssogood”. Blue smiled angelically at him, then lifted up to repeat the action, going faster every time a curse was spit from between Gansey's teeth.

She felt herself getting close. One hand left the headboard to run down her body to rub at her clit, but just as she made the first circle around the ring, something smacked her hand away sharply. She jerked her head up.

“I do that,” Gansey growled, pressing the pad of his thumb against her clit and rubbing vigorously. That, combined with the hard rhythm she set had her teetering over the edge. “Look at me.” He grabbed her chin and didn't let go until she met his eyes.

“Fuck,” she whimpered and fell, white explosions taking over the peripheral of her vision so the only thing she could see clearly was his face. It was strained as he took over, pounding into her, chasing his own orgasm as she mewled her pleasure.

“Yes, yes, yes,” Gansey chanted. “Yes,  _ Blue _ .” He slammed her down once more and convulsed, his dick pulsing inside her as he came.

Blue fell against him, tired from all the exertion. She was considerably smaller than Gansey, and could therefore remain there longer than Gansey had the night before. When they both finally slowed their breathing and regained the ability to move, Blue got off him and he deftly removed the condom and threw it in the trash. When he turned back to Blue, she was already out of the bed, pulling on her jeans.

“Hey, where are you going?” he asked, sounding more than a little hurt.

“I have to go home to Adam eventually,” she said, tugging her shirt over her head.

“Oh, I just thought... I don't know, maybe you could stay for breakfast. Or lunch now, I guess,” he said, tapping his phone to check the time. It was well past two now.

“I'm sorry,” she said, and she really was. But she had already let this drag on too long. It was just a one night stand. “I really do have to go.” She stretched up on her tip toes to kiss his cheek, but he caught her around the waist and pulled her to him, kissing her firmly on the lips. She automatically opened for him and he took advantage of it, shoving his tongue roughly into her mouth. When she was finally out of breath and Gansey was already starting to get hard again, she pulled away. “I'll see you Monday for class, yeah?” She pocketed her phone while Gansey pulled on a pair of boxers to walk her to the door.

“Yeah.... Or tonight? Maybe we could hit up Nino's for dinner?” he asked hopefully as they made their way down the hall.

Blue tried to hide her surprise. She'd never had a one night stand before, but she was almost positive that it didn't lead to dates. But how could she say no when he was looking at her like that? Like the sun rose and set over her, like she was the most magnificent thing he'd ever laid eyes on? It was a heady feeling, being pursued. So without really thinking, she agreed. “Yes. Yes, we can go out. But please, anywhere but Nino's. I don't want to go to work on my day off.”

“I wasn't aware you worked there. Of course we can go somewhere else. How about Lindenmere?” he suggested.

Blue had never heard of that restaurant before, but it had to be better than where she worked at. “Sure. Six?” She slipped into her shoes and put her hand on the doorknob.

“I'll pick you up then,” Gansey agreed with a kiss on her cheek.

She smiled widely at him and then went scurrying down the hall to her own door.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is long as fuck, sorry

The door slammed behind Blue. Ronan looked up from where he was laid out on the couch watching a movie. Adam was in the kitchen, looking through the fridge and didn't even turn to acknowledge her before calling out dryly, “So you made it home. How was your night?”

“I really need your help,” Blue said instead of answering.

Adam immediately closed the fridge and looked her over, trying to find the source of the problem. When it was not clearly visible he asked, “What is it? What happened?”

“Not like that,” she waved him off. She turned to Ronan. “I'm going to have to kindly ask you to get the fuck out of here.”

“The fuck did I do?” Ronan asked, eyebrows pulling down. “Or Gansey?”

“Gansey asked me out, I need my best friend to help me get ready. You should probably go tell Gansey you're alive anyway.”

Ronan laughed deeply. “He asked you out  _ again _ ? And you said  _ yes _ ?” Blue made a motion that was half nod, half shrug. He laughed again. “Yeah, I'll head out. See you later?” This was to Adam, who just nodded and went over to kiss the taller boy on the cheek. When Adam pulled back, Ronan grabbed him and kissed him hard on the mouth. Adam melted into him, throwing his arms around Ronan's neck.

After a minute of this, Blue cleared her throat. When they didn't stop, she repeated loudly, “Get the fuck out of here!”

Ronan glared at her over Adam's head. “Fine. Later,” he promised Adam, then ducked out the door.

“For fuck's sake,” Blue muttered. She noticed the dreamy look on Adam's face and repeated, “For fuck's sake.” She grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him to her room.

Adam flopped onto Blue's bed. “Ronan is amazing. We talked all night about school and politics and family. Well, not  _ all  _ night,” he corrected, a smug look on his face, though his ears were tinged pink. “I think you would get along well with him, he's an anarchist, too.”

Blue emerged from her closet with two fistfuls of clothing. “That boy is an anarchist? That clean cut boy with the khakis and tattoo?” Adam nodded. “You better hold on to him for dear life.”

“That's what I thought too,” Adam sighed. “What about you? How was your night?”

“It was... amazing, really. He's different than I thought. He damn near idolizes me.”

“Good. You deserve it honestly,” Adam nodded his approval. “When is the date?”

“Tonight at six.”

“What?” Adam shot up. “That's three hours from now!”

“I know!” Blue lamented. “I told you I needed Ronan to get the fuck out.”

“You didn't mention the impending deadline! I thought you were going out this week, not today.”

“Well it's today, which of these should I wear?” She dropped the armful of clothes on the bed next to him.

“Where is he taking you?” Adam asked, picking through Blue's ripped jeans and obscure band shirts.

“Some place called Lindenmere. He suggested Nino's first but I told him I didn't want to go to work.... What?” She trailed off when she caught Adam's stare.

“You can't wear any of this to Lindenmere,” he bunched up a handful of fabric. “That is the most expensive restaurant for three towns probably. It's extremely fancy. You have to wear a dress and heels or you'll probably get kicked out or something.”

“ _ What _ ?” Blue couldn't afford that right now. “How does one go from Nino's pizza to that upscale of a restaurant?”

Adam shrugged. “He has the money, I suppose.”

“Stupid trust fund kids. How am I supposed to eat there? I'm going to have to dip into savings for this.”

“I think he's probably going to pay, Blue.” Adam rolled his eyes.

“I'm not going to let him pay for something that expensive on my behalf,” Blue protested.

“Yes, you are, because he invited you, already knowing that you are considerably poorer than him.”

“Thanks,” Blue said, making a face at him.

“It's true. I'm considerably poorer than Ronan and I'm not afraid to admit it. One day when I'm a highly sought after lawyer and you're a famous media consultant it'll be different, but right now it's not. So let him pay if he offers.”

“We'll see,” is all she said. “But I'm not wearing a dress.”

That sparked an hour long debate that Blue ultimately lost. She ended up in a black dress that she never touched. Adam had to dig through the boxes of unpacked things at the back of her closet just to find it. She balanced out the dressiness of it with ripped fishnet stockings and her Vans. He insisted that she take out the safety pins in her ears in favor of silver hoops. She refused makeup and put her hair in her usual small ponytail and smoothed it down with an assortment of hair clips, pleading a lack of time, though she probably could have managed basic makeup and left her hair down. Neither she nor Adam were satisfied, which probably meant it was a half decent outfit.

Gansey was exactly on time, dressed down in his regular clothes, holes and all. “Wow,” he breathed as he took her in. He stuck his arm straight out awkwardly, a bouquet of violets in his hand, but Blue barely registered it. She grabbed Gansey by the wrist and pulled him into the apartment.

“Adam!” she yelled.

“What's happening?” Gansey asked, confused.

“What?” Adam asked as he came down the hall. When he got to the front room, he stopped dead, taking in Gansey. Then he began to laugh hysterically. He bent double and slapped his hand on his thighs.

“What is happening?” Gansey repeated. Adam waved his hand in front of his face as Blue glared down at him.

“Adam said I would get kicked out of Lindenmere if I dressed like I usually do!” Blue complained loudly.

“They've never kicked me out before,” Gansey frowned. “Why would you think that?”

“Because that's what he said!”

Adam seemed to recover slightly. “It's a very high class place, you have to dress the part, don't you? I've never seen anybody dressed like that go in there,” he explained.

“Oh, if you have the money to be there, they don't mind. They did charge me for my meal before they served it to me the first time I went there because they didn't think I had the money but after I paid and left a good tip, they never had a problem with me again,” Gansey said, waving his hand like it was no big deal.

“I'm changing,” Blue said.

“No!” both boys objected. Then just Gansey: “You look amazing.”

Blue rocked side to side for a second, but it was hard to resist Gansey when he looked at her like that. “Fine.” She stalked forward and took the violets from Gansey, placing them on the kitchen counter. “Can you put those in water?” she asked Adam.

“Yeah, go have fun. But not too much!” Adam called behind them as they went out the door.

They got down to the parking lot and Gansey led her to a bright orange Camaro, opening the passenger door for her. She slid in and he closed the door behind her, hurrying around the front to get to his seat. The smell of worn leather and mint and something distinctly Gansey surrounded her. She took a deep breath.

The restaurant was only ten minutes away and the time was filled by them singing along to Blink-182's album  _ Take Off Your Pants and Jacket _ . They had to sing very loud to be heard over the roaring engine, but that was okay with Blue. The fact that she knew every word seemed to bring Gansey great joy, though Blue thought he shouldn't be so surprised. She called him out on every reference.

They reached Lindenmere and skipped the valet. “Nobody drives the Pig but me,” Gansey explained.

“The Pig?” Blue asked. Gansey nodded but didn't elaborate. He offered his arm nervously and Blue took it.

When they reached the host stand, the woman working greeted him familiarly. “Mr. Gansey! It's nice to see you again. And who is this you've brought?” she asked, looking Blue over in a way she didn't appreciate.

“This is my date, Blue,” he said proudly. The hostess looked at Blue again, appraising this time. Blue still didn't appreciate it.

“Right this way,” the hostess said, leading them to a two person table, right next to the windows.

“Thank you,” Gansey said, pulling out Blue's chair for her and tucking her into the table. He was really going the whole nine yards for her.

He settled in his own seat across from Blue. “Did you know that the whole world is in fact capable of stopping, but only when I look at you?”

Blue blushed deeply and mumbled a thank you, eyes flicking down to her menu, where something caught her eye, or rather a lack of something. She frowned and flipped the page, then back again. No, she was definitely seeing right. “Gansey, there are no prices listed here.”

“Yeah, I know,” he said, eyes traveling from Blue's face down to her neckline. Her face felt very hot, remembering what happened the last time he looked at her like that.

“Gansey,” she tried again. “I need a menu with prices.”

“Why?” he asked, dragging his gaze back to her face.

“So I know how much I'm about to spend,” she hissed.

“Zero,” he answered immediately.

“I'm also interested in eating tonight.”

“Yes, and I'm interested in paying for it. Please don't fight me on this,” he said seriously.

Blue glared at him, fully intending to fight him on this. The earnest look on his face was the only thing that stopped her. “Fine,” she said, with less grace than she wanted. She grabbed his hand on the table and tacked on, “Thank you.”

“Of course,” he said graciously. “Champagne?”

“I don't know....”

“I promise that the money is no problem. I'd much rather spend it on you than hoard it away like my father does,” he said, closing his menu as the waitress made her appearance. “Could we get a bottle of champagne, please? Any will suffice, surprise us.”

The waitress smiled and left to get it for them. “A whole bottle?” Blue asked.

“Well after last night, I don't have a good gauge on how much you like to drink,” he teased. “It seemed better to be prepared.”

Blue laughed at that. “Fair enough. Last night was... fun.” She settled on the word, though she felt it didn't encapsulate the feeling she wanted to express.

Gansey cleared his throat “Yes, very... fun,” he mocked her gently.

The waitress came back with a bottle in a silver ice bucket and two champagne flutes. She set them down and pulled out a pad of paper. “Have you decided what you want?”

Gansey gestured to Blue. She froze, not having even looked at the menu other than to find the prices. She scanned the pasta section quickly and ordered the first thing that jumped out at her. “I'll have the seafood alfredo, please.” She closed her menu and handed it to the waitress.

“I will have the sea scallop risotto,” Gansey said, handing over his menu as well.

“Perfect, we'll have that right out for you.” The waitress disappeared into the back.

Gansey popped the champagne and poured a glass for Blue and himself. He raised his and Blue clinked hers against it before taking a sip. It was fizzy and tasted amazing, like sparkling juice. It was that sweet. She gulped down almost half the glass before catching Gansey's amused face. She put down the glass, embarrassed.

“No, please, I'm glad you like it,” he said. Then he swallowed a healthy amount of his before smiling over the top of it at her. Blue appreciated the effort he was making not to offend her again.

“So I know surprisingly little about you, despite seeing you twice a week for the last ten or so weeks,” Blue observed. “What are you majoring in?”

“History. It drives my parents crazy but I love it. That's actually why I'm in Womens' History,” he said, referencing the conversation they'd had weeks ago outside the library, when she had accused him of only being there to hit on women in the class.

“Oh. That's a requirement for a history degree? I didn't think minority history classes were that important in the eyes of the university,” Blue said, only somewhat bitterly.

“It's actually not,” Gansey laughed. “I took it as an elective because I think there are important parts of history that don't make it in the euro-and american-centric white male version.”

Blue leaned back, stunned. She really had pegged him wrong the first time she met him. “Well that's... good for you, really. I think so too.”

“Is that why you're in Womens' History?”

“No, it's actually required for me.”

“What's your major?”

“Womens' studies. Otherwise known as the unemployable major,” she laughed.

“That's not unemployable. You could be a business liaison or marketing or media consultant,” Gansey said encouragingly.

“I.... Yeah, that's actually want to do. Be a media consultant, that is,” Blue clarified.

“That's awesome. You could be the person that stops some really offensive shit from getting put on TV.”

“That's the goal,” she said. “So how do you know Ronan? You two seem like an unlikely pair.” She thought for a moment about Ronan's tattoo, just barely visible above his collar. “Well maybe not that unlikely.”

Gansey topped up their glasses and drummed his fingers on the table. “Ronan and I have been friends for quite a while, we went to high school together. When his dad died, it really messed him up. Niall was an important public figure. It was a hit. Instead of collapsing farther into the punk scene, it shocked him out of it. He decided to go to law school to fight within the system instead of outside. He holds a lot of the same values as you, I like to think. You both just go about it different ways.”

Blue was thoughtful as the waitress came back with their food. After she left, Blue picked up her fork and twirled it between her fingers. “I think I remember that. Niall Lynch, the senator, right? Very charismatic guy. Looked a lot like Ronan, actually, now that I think about it.”

“That's the one. It was devastating. It completely wrecked him.” 

“Blink song,” Blue said quietly and gave him a sad smile. Gansey returned it and unwrapped his silverware, digging into his food. Blue followed suit. The food was amazing. She hadn't eaten this good since her last trip home to see her mom. “Mmmm,” she hummed contentedly.

“Good?” Gansey asked.

“Definitely.” She scooped another forkful into her mouth.

“God, I don't think I'll ever get tired of looking at you,” he murmured quietly to her. Blue nearly choked on her food. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I'm fine.” She waved him off as she took a sip of champagne. “I'm just not used to this level of attention,” she admitted.

Gansey frowned. “I don't see how that's possible.”

“People don't just lavish me with compliments and unwavering reverence, Gansey.” She rolled her eyes.

“They fucking should,” Gansey answered. “Have you ever seen yourself?” Blue blushed again. “Really, Blue, you are smart and beautiful and sexy, everything I could ever ask for, and I can't believe you agreed to go on a date with me.”

“Well you're not too bad yourself,” she smiled.

“Thank you,” Gansey said, drawing himself up higher.

They finished their meal while talking about inconsequential things, like favorite foods and childhoods. As Gansey paid and they walked back to the car, Blue could sense Gansey getting more and more anxious. He opened her door for her again and they continued the Blink-182 sing along. When they pulled to a stop in front of their apartment building, it finally became clear what he was nervous about.

“So Ronan texted me.”

“Oh yeah? And what does Ronan say?” Blue asked.

“He's out with Adam for the rest of the night.”

Blue already knew this, having asked what plans Adam had with Ronan when she was getting ready, but she feigned ignorance. “Really? They'll probably come back to my apartment afterward. Guess I'll be hearing that all night.”

“Well, you don't have to,” Gansey said.

“What do you mean?” Blue asked, enjoying watching Gansey squirm a bit.

“I just- I mean if you wanted- you don't have to but- really, I don't mind if you don't-”

“Gansey,” Blue said softly. “Are you asking me to spend the night again?”

He swallowed. “Yes, I am. Would you?”

“Yes, I would love to.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gansey, why must you destroy your own happiness so thoroughly at every turn

“Hey, wake up,” Blue said softly, gently nudging Gansey. He groaned and rolled over, ensnaring her in his arms. “No, really, it's time to wake up. We're going to be late.”

The past two weeks had been amazing. Since that first date, Blue had spent every night with Gansey. They only parted for class or when Blue had to work. Sometimes not even then. Gansey would show up to Nino's, usually with flowers or chocolate or other expensive and perishable gift and stay until her shift ended. She would remind him that it was a huge waste of time and money and he would remind her that he wasn't a dragon, hoarding away large sums of money for no reason. She was not amused by that.

Sometimes he would come alone, sometimes with friends. Blue's favorite of his friends was a boy named Henry that would jokingly flirt with her. Well, she wasn't sure it was joking, but Gansey always laughed it off so Blue didn't worry about it too much.

They spent most of the time together in Gansey's apartment, watching trashy TV and making out lazily on the couch or building a miniature version of their college campus out of cereal boxes and glue. Ronan informed her that it was a privilege to be allowed to help him with this project, even Ronan wasn't given this opportunity. Later, when they were alone, Gansey told her that that was because Ronan was “a god of destruction sent solely to ruin all that gives me hope” which loosely translated to “Ronan accidentally stepped on one of the buildings once and I still haven't forgiven him”.

They had the apartment to themselves often because Ronan and Adam had hit it off well, and they spent the nights in Adam and Blue's place, a switch that worked well for everyone. They had all gone on exactly one double date, which had devolved into a lively debate of anarcho feminism and anarcho communism and the merits of both between Blue and Ronan, completely forgetting Gansey and Adam. Gansey had hardly been able to keep his hands off her on the way home from that date. She had to keep pushing his hand back down her thigh the whole time to keep Adam and Ronan from getting a free show from the backseat.

Since she lived next door, it was easy to pop in to change her clothes, shower, and check in with Adam most mornings, passing Ronan in the hall and giving him a high five on the way in. It had all become fairly routine, but Blue never took it for granted. She was immensely pleased every time she woke up next to him, every time he brought her offerings, every time he fell to his knees to prove his worship of her.

That made her voice tender as she prodded him into wakefulness. “Gansey, it's time for class.”

“I don't want to leave you yet,” he grumbled, pulling her tighter to him.

“You don't have to. It's Monday. We have Womens' History first.”

He opened one eye and focused on her. “But you'll leave to get dressed first.”

“Well yeah, but then we'll be together for class.” She sat up on the edge of the bed, stretching deeply before getting up to collect her clothes from where they'd been flung the night before.

“You know, if you kept some of your stuff here, you wouldn't need to leave me so often,” he observed.

“Yeah, and if I had a million dollars I wouldn't need to go to work and could stay with you even more,” she teased.

“If you moved in with me, you wouldn't have to work so often either,” he pushed.

Blue started to laugh, but then caught his expression. He looked serious. “You're kidding, right? Please say you're kidding.”

“Why? It makes sense. You're always here anyway. Leases are up at the end of the semester, we could easily move in together.”

“It makes no sense! We've known each other twelve weeks and I've hated you for half of them. People move in after months of actually liking each other, if not years. Besides, I don't want to rely on you. I can and do support myself.”

“Ronan and Adam are on board,” he argued.

“What?” Blue asked, pausing with only one foot in her jeans.

“Ronan and Adam want to move in together for next semester,” he said.

“There's no way Adam agreed to move in and be beholden to Ronan,” she argued, her accent becoming thicker as she grew more upset.

“It's not becoming beholden to someone, Blue,” Gansey sighed. “It'd actually be cheaper so it would save you money that way. And you split the grocery costs with Adam, yeah? It'd be like that, but between the five of us.”

“It wouldn't be any cheaper if we stay in the same apartments we- wait, did you say 'the five of us'?”

“Yes,” Gansey drawled the word out. “Us, Ronan, Adam, and Henry. Henry was going to jump on our lease and we were going to upgrade to a three bedroom. You guys can do the same. We can even go up to a four bedroom if you want, so you can have your own space. I think they might even have five bedroom ones across campus. Whatever makes you comfortable.”

Blue stopped arguing, looking at Gansey suspiciously. It was hard, what with the constant gifts and take out food every night, to forget that Gansey was exponentially wealthier than she was. She always insisted on at least paying for part of the meals, but she could never balance out scales. With less expensive rent, she could tip the scales to at least a more even keel.

“I'll think about it,” she finally said.

Gansey's whole face lit up like a kid's on Christmas. “I'll take it. Now come back to bed.”

“Nice try. I'll see you in ten minutes.” She finished pulling on her jeans and left to let him get ready.

“You could skip one day, you know,” he called after her. “Let loose! Reckless abandon!”

“Blink song,” she shouted back before opening the door to meet Ronan in the hall for their daily high five. She had to jump to reach his hand.

When Blue came in, she went straight to Adam's room. “What the hell?” she asked.

“What the hell, what?” Adam asked, pulling a black shirt over his head. He had to work at the shop tonight.

“You're moving in with Ronan next semester?”

“Oh. Yeah, it makes sense. Get the cheaper rent with the added bonus of not having to room with strangers. People move in with people they've only known a semester all the time. We just have the added benefit of being in a relationship.” He shrugged.

“You could've at least told me,” she said, not being able to come up with an argument for that.

“I was going to but Gansey insisted on asking you himself.”

“Whatever. Are you sure you want to live with Henry, though?” she laughed, walking toward her bedroom.

“If it'd get me cheaper rent and bills, I'd move in with a pig at this point. Not a messy person, a literal farm animal. Too bad pigs can't get jobs,” his voice following her down the hall.

~~~~

At one, Blue met Gansey for lunch in one of the dining halls. Henry tagged along, having just come from photography class with Gansey.

“Hey, Sargent,” Henry said, picking Blue up in a hug and spinning her around once.

“Cheng,” she answered, slightly out of breath. “How are you?”

“Fabulous as always,” he replied. “And yourself?”

“Pretty good. I was completely blindsided this morning with the idea that we're all moving in together next semester,” she threw a look at Gansey, who smiled sheepishly.

“Ah, so he finally broke the news. I can't imagine you said yes because he hasn't been crowing with joy all class. On the other hand, it is very hard to say no to him.”

“I'm thinking about it,” Blue said, remaining uncommitted.

They got their food and found a table near the door, Blue and Gansey on one side of the table and Henry on the other.

“So that was a pretty good presentation you had,” Henry said to Gansey half-way through their meal.

“Oh?” Blue turned to Gansey. “What was it on?”

“The nature of eroticism. Basically it was a bunch of pictures of things that people find sexy excluding nudity.” Gansey tried to downplay it, but Blue could tell he was proud.

“What were the pictures of then?”

“There were lots of them. Most of them were you.”

“Me?” Blue asked. Gansey was often taking pictures of her, saying he couldn't believe she needed proof of her own body. He had yet to show her any, though. She had just assumed he hadn't developed them yet. She hadn't known he was making a whole project of her.

“Of course. You're the perfect subject. You rarely ever pose and yet everything you do is effortlessly sexy,” he said, putting his arm around her shoulders.

“That's true. I mean, you even made smoking sexy somehow,” Henry agreed, winking at her.

“What are you talking about?” Blue asked, though her stomach had already dropped. She tried to remember another time Gansey had shot her smoking. She couldn't think of one, but surely there was no way Gansey had included the picture she was thinking of.

“The one of you in the black lingerie smoking on Gansey boy's lap,” he confirmed. “At least I assumed it was you from the compromising position. Have I made a terrible mistake?”

No, Henry hadn't made a terrible mistake. Gansey had. “You included the picture from the morning after our first date?” she asked, rounding him.

“Yes?” his voice went up at the end, making it a question.

“The one of me, half naked and sitting in your lap?” Her voice was the calm before the storm.

“That's the one,” he said in a small voice.

Blue took a deep breath. Then another one. And another. Her rage levels weren't getting lower. “Why the fuck would you think it would be acceptable for you to expose my body to a whole class of people without my permission?” her voice whipped out.

Gansey paled slightly. “I didn't think of it like that.”

“No, you wouldn't have, would you? Because you assume you can have whatever you want, when you want it.” Gansey flinched back, as though her words were a physical thing, weighing on him. “You think you have a right my body, to my living arrangements, to my feelings, to me. Well you don't.” She pushed back her chair and walked away from the boys, both half reaching for her, though neither stupid enough to actually touch her right then. “Fuck you, Gansey,” she threw over her shoulder and pushed out the door.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter about Blue's spiral

Blue was still laying in her bed with her head under a pillow when Adam knocked softly on her door and let himself in. She had come straight home, skipping her other classes, and immediately put on about three extra layers of clothes, got under two blankets and added the pillow for good measure. She felt naked, exposed,  _ seen _ .

Gansey had taken her at her most vulnerable and shown it to everybody on campus. Okay, that was an exaggeration. It was just his photography class, but at a school this large, that was easily seventy to a hundred people. Strangers had seen her.  _ Henry _ had seen her. He'd probably shown it to Ronan when he got it printed.

Adam sat on the edge of her bed and touched her shoulder over the blankets. She flinched away from the contact.

“What happened, Blue?” he asked softly. “Gansey was waiting outside the door. Said he's been pounding for hours now.”

“You didn't let him in, did you?” Blue shot up, the pillow and blankets falling around her.

“Of course not. I sent him and Ronan home. Told them I'd come talk to you,” he said. “Why are you wearing so many clothes?”

“ _ Gansey _ ,” she spit from her teeth, “took a picture of me half naked and presented it to his entire photography class. Without my permission.”

Adam was quiet for a moment. Then: “He did  _ what _ ?” Adam asked, disbelieving. “That's-that's illegal. You could literally sue him if you wanted.”

“The important parts were covered. I was in my underwear and I'm an adult. It's not technically illegal.”

“Still, that's unacceptable. Give me a minute.” Adam got up and left the room. After a minute, Blue heard knocking and followed him.

The door to the apartment was open and when she peeked out, she could see him standing in front of Gansey, who had answered the door, probably hoping it was Blue. She quickly ducked her head back in so she could see Adam but not Gansey.

“Gansey,” Adam said, his accent present, betraying his calm demeanor. Adam never let his accent slip in front of other people.

“Adam. Adam, is Blue okay? Is she still mad? Can I talk to her?” Gansey sounded miserable.

“She doesn't want to talk to you right now,” Adam told him.

“Adam?” Ronan's voice came closer.

“Not right now, Ronan,” Adam said, holding one hand up. “Gansey, you have a mother right? A grandmother? A sister, an aunt, even just a friend who is or was a woman?”

“I have a mother and a sister,” Gansey said, voice strained.

“And neither of them ever taught you how to be a decent human being?” Adam asked, calmly, softly. Gansey sucked in a sharp breath, but he kept going. “How would you feel if they allowed themselves to be that open and comfortable with someone and that person turned around and betrayed them?” Blue fidgeted, uncomfortable in her skin.

Gansey took a moment to answer. “Furious,” he finally whispered.

“Do you understand what you have done?” Adam's voice started to heat up, getting harder. His fists balled at his sides. “She's wearing layers and layers of clothes, curled up in a ball under her blankets, trying her damnedest not to be seen. I think she may have even skipped her classes.”

“It was just a project. It doesn't even show her face,” Gansey attempted halfheartedly.

“Gansey,  _ no _ ,” Ronan said from the background.

“You think that makes it better somehow? Less  _ objectifying _ ?” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, reigning back the anger. When he spoke again, his voice was back to the polished, unaffected version he had adopted their first semester here. “Stay away from her. Ronan, I'm sorry to say that I don't think we'll be moving in together next semester. I won't abandon her or put her in a position where she may be taken advantage of. Again,” he tacked on, glaring at Gansey.

He spun away, marching back to Blue. She ducked farther back into the apartment, but not before Gansey caught a glimpse of her.

“Blue,” he called, but he didn't try to follow Adam down the hall. Ronan was already angrily asking Gansey what the hell he'd done to Blue. She blinked back angry tears, hand tight on the door knob. She didn't answer. She went back down the hall to her room and crawled back under the covers. This time Adam left her alone.

After a few minutes, she heard a door close on the other side of the wall she shared with Gansey. He breathed a deep sigh and a light thud reverberated through. His head hitting the wall? Blue didn't know and she didn't care. She waited for the music to start, so she could lose herself in it without letting Gansey know she was in here, listening to him.

Instead of music, though, it was Gansey's voice coming through the wall. “Blue?” he asked tentatively. She didn't answer, so he pushed on. “Blue, if you're listening, I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. No, I wasn't thinking. I got so caught up in the project, in you, really, that I didn't stop to think about what I was doing. I took the way you were with me for granted, assumed it would be okay to share it with others. I'm pulling my project next time I see my professor. All the pictures. I'll give them back to you. I know it might be too little, too late, but I'm going to try. I understand if you don't want to talk to me again, though. I really do. And I'm sorry.”

Blue didn't answer and Gansey sighed again. Then the music started up. 'I miss you' by Blink-182 began playing. After a few bars, Blue couldn't take it anymore. She picked up her blanket, wrapping it around herself and padding out to the living room. Adam looked up at her and lifted one arm. She tucked herself into his side.

“Thank you,” she said. “And I'm sorry this is coming between you and Ronan.”

“Don't think that for a second,” he replied. “Ronan and I will be fine. I'm far more worried about you.”

“I'll be fine. Eventually. I just... need some time. To feel less... uncovered.”

“I understand. I meant what I said, though. I won't leave you or make you move in with him. We can keep on living together. We've been fine for over two years. We'll make it another two.”

She felt gratitude for Adam well up in her chest and she settled in closer. Her eyes grew heavy, emotionally exhausted and drained, and warm from her extra layers. Eventually she stopped fighting them. She closed her eyes and fell asleep right there on the couch.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry is the ultimate wingman. Also very very hot

By Wednesday, the pictures were in Blue's possession. They were shoved under the door without a note or even a knock. Just a little rustling as they slid against the floor. Gansey must have gotten the message when she didn't show up for Women's History. Adam had picked them all up and thrown them out without looking at them.

Ronan had continued to stay the night at Adam and Blue's apartment. The first night, Ronan had attempted to apologize on Gansey's behalf but Blue wouldn't hear any of it. She retreated to her room and listened to Gansey bang around his room, alternating between listening to sad pop punk playlists and cursing himself. Sometimes she cursed him,too.

Because Blue missed Gansey, missed him more than she should. She had only stayed with him for two weeks, but before that, she had still gotten used to seeing him at least twice a week, making sure they both made it to class and conversing on the way to and during Womens' History. Missing Gansey was exactly like missing class. It felt wrong, wasteful. She kept looking at the clock and jumping when she noticed the time, telling her it was time to be there. The semester was coming to an end. She only had so much time.

She had to constantly remind herself that she didn't want more time with him. He had messed up whatever had been growing between them. Blue would be glad when the semester ended and they moved to a different floor with Henry. Or maybe, if she was lucky, they'd find one on the other side of campus and she'd never have to see him again, except in passing between classes. That prospect didn't make her feel better, though.

By Saturday, Blue was feeling a bit more confident. Not enough to forgive Gansey, but enough that she wasn't wearing three layers of clothes just to go to work. She was sat on the couch, pushing around the fruit at the bottom of her yogurt, and watching a movie when Adam came out of his room, freshly showered.

“Hey,” he said, surprised to see her looking relatively normal and comfortable in her clothes.

“Hey,” replied Blue, leaning forward to put her nearly empty yogurt container on the coffee table.

“You're looking... better,” he ventured.

“Feeling better,” she said with a smile.

“That's good.” He returned her smile. “So, how much better do you feel?”

Blue was instantly suspicious. “Enough, I think. Why?”

“Well, Ronan and I were thinking....”

“No,” she answered immediately. “I'm not talking to Gansey.”

“No, no, of course not. I wouldn't even suggest that. We were thinking of going out tonight. I'd really like it if you came with us. With me,” he added at the end, knowing it would be harder for her to fight it.

Blue sighed. “Out where?”

“Cabeswater.”

“Oh, Adam, come on,” she whined.

“He won't be there, I promise. It's been a while since Ronan has been because he's been staying here with me and I don't have to work tonight for once. Don't you want to dance with me?” he teased her, spinning around.

Blue tried to keep a straight face, but when he spun around again and shook his hands out to the sides, she had to laugh. “Fine! Fine, we can go. But if Gansey tries to tag along, I'm out.”

“Deal. Absolutely. I'll go let Ronan know.” Adam trotted off, back to his bedroom.

~~~~

Blue wore her baggiest clothes, not yet confident enough to wear anything tighter to a club, but Adam didn't fight her on it. She already knew Gansey was still in his room, listening to sad music and being moody from her sneaky listening while she was getting ready, so she didn't feel the need to check behind her the whole way down to the car.

They took Ronan's car, which was a BMW that Adam admired greatly. It was so much nicer than his car, dubbed 'The Shitbox', and quieter than Gansey's Pig.

Nope. She stopped right there. Tonight was not about Gansey. She wouldn't make it be.

They arrived at Cabeswater and she and Adam made a beeline for the bar. Six kamikazes and two shots of straight vodka each later, they were on the dance floor, sweating and grinding with abandon. Ronan seemed to thoroughly enjoy watching Adam with Blue, choosing to hang back a couple steps while Adam gripped her hips and bounced along to beat with her.

Halfway through a song, just after the bass dropped, Adam let go of her to turn around. She peeked over his shoulder to see what had gotten his attention.

It was Henry. Blue automatically crossed her arms to cover more of herself, because she knew for a fact that Henry had seen the picture of her. Ronan's hand was on his shoulder, but he didn't completely stop him. Ronan was waiting for a cue from Adam and Blue.

“Can I cut in?” Henry asked, nearly screaming to be heard. Adam looked to Blue and she rocked from one foot to the other, debating. Eventually, she dropped her arms and nodded. Adam stepped away, into Ronan. Henry took Adam's place, hands on her hips and one of his legs between hers. She rolled her shoulders and hips in one smooth movement, pressing down into Henry's thigh. “Good God,” Henry said, just loud enough for her to hear. It was a bit uncomfortable at first, but as the alcohol and music pumped through her, she began to loosen up, feel confident in the reaction she was causing in Henry. He was grinding on her in her baggy clothes just as hard as she imagined he would if she was as bare as she was in the photo.

She leaned back, looking up at him. He smiled down at her and took her hand, beckoning her with his head. She followed him out of the club into the cool night air. They leaned against the building and Blue pulled out her cigarettes.

“You mind?” she asked. When he shook his head no she tapped one out and offered them to him.

He shook his head no again, saying, “My body is a temple, Sargent.” He smoothed his hand down the front of his Icon for Hire t-shirt. Blue followed the movement with her eyes. “My eyes are up here, thank you,” he teased. She flicked her eyes back up to his.

Blue lit her cigarette and took a long drag. “So what are you doing here, anyway?”

“Well the funniest thing happened...,” Henry said, meaning Blue was not about to find whatever he had to say funny in the slightest.

“Out with it, Cheng.” She narrowed her eyes as she took another drag.

“Well, as it happens, I was talking to Gansey earlier....”

“Nope. No. Not today, Satan.” Blue dropped her cigarette, though it hurt her to waste something that was becoming so expensive, and put it out with the toe of her shoe.

“Wait, wait! He didn't send me. He just told me Ronan was going out with you and Adam tonight, so I came to find you,” he said quickly.

“You were looking for me?” she asked, taking a half step back to him. She smiled at him. “What could you need with me?” She leaned up on her tiptoes, putting her arms around his neck. When her mouth was level with his, her tongue flicked out, just enough to taste his lips. This was what she had followed Henry out here for. To lose herself in more than just alcohol, to lose herself in Henry. She was buzzed enough not to care that he was Gansey's friend. She just wanted... she didn't know what. To make Gansey jealous? No, she didn't think so. To hurt him as much as he'd hurt her? Maybe. To be with Henry, right here, right now? Definitely. She tangled her hand in Henry's hair and pulled gently.

Henry's Adam's apple bobbed but he put on a self-deprecating smile. “I can't believe I'm stupid enough to say this right now, but... I think you should talk to Gansey again.”

Blue's smile dropped and she retreated yet again. Henry was going to give her whiplash. “I'm not talking to him.”

“He's miserable without you, Blue.”

“Yeah, I know, I can hear him whining all the time through our shared wall.”

Henry raised his eyebrows. “You can hear each other through the wall? That's hot.” Blue just crossed her arms. “Okay, okay, but really. He's destroyed. And he pulled the project! All the pictures, not just the bad one. Well, it wasn't a bad picture, it was actually really, really hot- not the point. He was going to be featured in the gallery in a couple weeks. But he withdrew that, too-”

“Wait, what gallery?” Blue asked, throwing her hands up in a stop motion.

“The art gallery. The one the university puts on at the end of every semester? With the best work from each class? Our professor was going to give our class' spot. Said she'd have to pick a different one.”

Blue had heard about the gallery before, but she wasn't aware that was how the pieces were decided, not having taken her fine arts requirement yet. “He gave up his spot in the show for me?” The alcohol was making her head fuzzy. Maybe... no. She shook her head. “That doesn't change what he did.”

“Okay, yes, true, but nothing can change that now. And hasn't he done his best to fix it? Not just apologizing, but meaning it and rectifying it as best he can?”

Blue shook her head again, trying to clear it. This seemed significant, him giving up his spot in the gallery for her. Was it just because she was drunk and emotional or was this really a big deal? She wasn’t sure. She wanted to go home. She wanted to see Gansey. She wasn't sure that those two things were different. “I have to find Adam,” she finally said. Henry's face fell slightly. She continued. “I have to tell him I need to go home. And ask Gansey about this gallery business.”

Henry's face broke into a large smile. “Text him. I'll take you back.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drunk Blue is the hottest Blue

Blue pounded on the door to Gansey's apartment. She was mostly sober now, only slightly buzzed, thanks to the water and coffee Henry had stopped to buy and pumped into Blue on the way home. Henry was next to her, making sure she was safe until she could get to Gansey.

Gansey opened the door, looking like he hadn't slept since Monday. Which was possible; Gansey didn't sleep well without her. His eyes met hers and he started a little, surprised to see her at his door. Then they fell on Henry. “I told you they went out so you would come over, not so you could go talk to her for me. I had nothing to do with this,” he said in a pleading tone, turning back to Blue.

“I know, he told me,” Blue said, pulling on the hem of her shirt. “Can we talk?”

“Yes, of course. Would you like to come in?”

“Yes, please.” She turned to Henry. “Thanks for this... and earlier, you know, not... doing anything.”

Confusion crossed Gansey's face, but Henry just winked at her and said, “I could never do Gansey boy like that. See you Monday?”

“We'll see,” she said, not committing either way.

When Henry was gone, Gansey asked, “What does he mean, he couldn't do me like that?”

“Is that the most important thing we could be talking about right now?” Blue replied, not wanting to admit the weakness she had nearly given in to earlier.

“No, I suppose it's not.” He backed up to let Blue in and gestured toward the couch. “Would you like anything?” he asked nervously.

“Water would be nice,” she said politely as she sat on the couch. He filled two glasses with ice and water and brought them over, setting them down on the coffee table. Then he sat in the chair across from her, rather than on the couch next to her. She appreciated the space.

“So,” he said after she'd guzzled half the water in the glass.

“So,” she repeated. “I heard about the gallery.”

“I'm not participating,” he said immediately.

“I heard that, too.”

“Henry,” Gansey grimaced.

“Henry,” Blue concurred. “Thanks for the pictures back.”

“Of course. I should've let you see them before I ever even used them. It was the least I could do. Did you... look at them?”

“No. Adam threw them all away for me.”

“I understand,” Gansey said, but he looked a little disappointed.

Blue felt the need to apologize. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let him before looking.”

“No, no, really, I understand. I shouldn't have even asked. It's completely up to you what happens to any and all pictures of you.”

“Henry also told me you pulled the whole project. None of them are being used for the gallery?” Her voice twisted up at the last second, making it a question.

“None,” he said emphatically. “I'll never use another picture of anyone without their permission. I'm so sorry, Blue. I wasn't thinking. I took your confidence and the way you acted with me for granted, and I never will again. I-”

“I know, Gansey. I heard you that night through the wall. I know you pulled the whole project.”

Gansey blew out a sigh of relief. “Good. I wasn't sure you'd heard me. I wanted to apologize in person, but I knew you wanted space.”

“Thank you for giving it to me.” She stood slowly, walking over to sit gingerly on the arm of Gansey's chair. “You've done everything you could to fix this. And giving up a spot in the gallery for me was far more than I expected.”

“It's what's right,” he said, looking up at her earnestly. “I'm so sorry.”

“I forgive you.” Blue lowered herself slowly onto Gansey's lap. “I've been drinking a bit so maybe double check with me in the morning, though,” she joked.

“I can do that,” he replied seriously.

“I'm going to kiss you now, but I'm not staying the night. Not until I've forgiven you completely sober.”

“That sounds reasonable,” he agreed.

Blue pressed her forehead to his, just looking into his hazel eyes for a minute. Then she brought her lips to his, once, twice, a third time. It felt good, so she did it again, leaving her lips on his for a moment longer. Then again, pressing harder into him, opening her mouth slightly.

Gansey's tongue darted into her mouth greedily, tasting her. She moaned quietly and rolled her hips against his lap.

“Fuck,” he breathed. “Fuck, you're going to have to stop, Blue.”

“Why?” she asked, swiveling her hips again.

“Because I want to do a whole lot more than kiss you, but you said you didn't want to spend the night.”

“I can go home after doing more than just kissing,” she pointed out, grinding down where she could feel Gansey growing beneath her.

He allowed himself a groan and a single thrust up into her before pulling back again. “Not until you've forgiven me while sober,” he insisted.

Blue sighed. He was right. “Okay. I'll see you tomorrow?”

“Yes, I'll be here, waiting for you.”

“Bye, Gansey.”

“Good bye, Blue,” he said regretfully.

Blue let herself in her own apartment, stripping off her pants and bra as she made her way to her bedroom. Ronan and Adam still weren't back yet. She jumped into her bed and placed her ear against the wall, waiting. A moment later, there was the quiet  _ click _ of the door closing and the scuffling of Gansey getting ready for bed.

“Blue?” he called through the wall. Blue jumped a little at her name, but remained quiet. She knew what was coming next, and she didn't want Gansey to keep her from hearing.

More scuffling, then a small moan. She was right, Gansey was taking care of the problem Blue had caused with all her grinding.

Blue smiled, reaching over to her nightstand to grab her vibrator. She removed her underwear as silently as possible and slipped the vibrator between her legs, turning it on when it was inside her. She put a hand over her mouth to stop a moan, then put her ear back to the wall.

“Fuck,” she heard Gansey say. “Fuck, Blue.” Blue couldn't stop the moan that bubbled up when he said her name. Gansey’s side of the wall went silent. “Blue?” he called again.

The cat was out of the bag already, so she replied with another moan. “Gansey,” she groaned, breathy but loud.

“Shit, Blue, are you- are you touching yourself?” he asked.

“Yes, Gansey, yes. Are you touching yourself?” she returned the question.

“Yes, I am. Fuck. Fuck, yes, Blue.” Something hit the wall, presumably Gansey's head. “Tell me what you're doing,” he commanded.

“I'm- fuck- I'm using my vibrator,” she ground out, beginning to move it faster. “I'm fucking myself with it. God, it feels so good, Gansey. Not as good as you, though.”

“Do you wish it were me between your legs, Blue?” His voice sounded strained.

“God yes, Gansey. Fuck, I miss you. I miss your fingers, your tongue, your dick. I'm moving it in and out faster, harder now. I'm imagining it's you inside me.”

Gansey let loose a loud groan. “You feel so much better than my hand, Blue. I wish it was you, too.” Blue scratched the nails of her left hand down the wall and grabbed at her headboard to balance herself as the feeling deep in her belly grew and her whole body tightened.. “Blue? What was that?”

“My nails,” she gasped out. “I- I think I'm going to cum.”

“Christ. I am, too. Fuck, Blue, cum for me. Let me hear you.”

“Fuck, Gansey,” she cried out as the force of her orgasm bent her double.

“Blue,” Gansey called back, long and low before moaning loudly through his own.

Blue rested her head against the wall as she regained her breath, her body feeling like jelly. “God, that was....”

“That was hot,” he supplied.

Blue laughed. “Yes, it was. Very hot. I'm going to bed now.”

“Good night, Blue.”

“Night, Gansey.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wall sex wall sex wall sex wall sex

Blue woke up face down in her bed, still dressed only in the big shirt she had thrown on the night before. She opened one eye. It was very clearly afternoon; she could hear Adam and Ronan laughing at something in the living room and the sun was coming in the wrong side of the window. She swore, shooting up out of the bed and pulling on the first clothes she touched.

She hadn't meant to keep Gansey waiting all day. She half ran down the hall, nearly slipping on the hardwood in her socked feet.

“Hey,” Adam called when she entered the front room. “I didn't even realize you were here. I thought you were going to Gansey's?”

“I did,” she said as she pulled on her shoes.

“It didn't go well?” Adam sounded somewhat disappointed.

“I told him I didn't want to spend the night until I forgave him when I wasn't drunk.”

“Oh. Well do you?” She just winked at him before slipping out the door. “You so do!” he called after her.

Blue knocked lightly on Gansey's door. It swung open immediately, like he had been waiting on the other side for her. “Blue,” he said surprised. “I thought you weren't coming.”

“I'm sorry, I slept pretty hard after last night,” she explained.

“Oh, that makes sense. A lot happened last night.” He rocked back on his feet. “Sober?”

“Blink-182,” she smirked. “But yes, I'm sober now.”

“Damn, I really thought I had you on that one.” He returned her smile for a moment, but it melted away with his confidence. “Look, Blue, about last night, I don't expect you to forgive me just because we did... what we did. You have every right to be angry and I'm so-”

“Gansey.”

“Yes?”

“Shut the fuck up and kiss me.” She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him hard. She could feel his smile under her lips and opened her mouth to swallow it. He accepted the invitation greedily, running his tongue along hers.

Gansey broke the kiss to pull her into the apartment, slamming the door behind her and shoving her back against it. A little whimper escaped her when she hit. Gansey's eyes grew darker at the little noise. He grabbed the hair at the back of her head, jerking her head up to look at him. He stared into her eyes for a moment before slowly lowering his lips back to hers. He pulled her bottom lip between his and sucked hard until she was sure it was swollen.

“Fuck I missed you,” he growled. He dropped suddenly, with no warning, to his knees in front of her, dragging her pants and underwear down without bothering to unbutton them. Gansey kissed a slow line down her lower abdomen, starting just below her belly button, then the dip between her hips, her pubic bone, and finally, her piercing.

“Fuck.” She threw her head back, slamming it into the door. Gansey looked up at her. “No, please, don't stop,” she breathed.

He smirked for just a minute before returning his attention to the task at hand. “Spread,” he ordered, pushing her legs apart. He placed his hands on her ass, wedging his shoulders between her legs until both her legs were thrown over them. She grabbed at his hair, trying to keep upright. “Fuck, you're so wet, Blue,” he half moaned into her, sending pleasant vibrations through her. He licked a long, slow line along her slit, not helping her precarious position when she bent over his head. His tongue came to circle her clit, moving the piercing around deliciously. Her hands gripped his hair tighter as he made quick, tight circles around the barbell. She started shaking, keeping her balance through sheer force of will. Gansey's eyes flicked up to meet hers as he took his mouth off her. She made a loud noise of protest, but it died on her lips as he carefully put his teeth around the ring, tugging lightly. Then he pulled the whole thing into his mouth and sucked hard.

The whole world went white. Blue was vaguely aware of her body shaking and profanities spilling out of her mouth, but mostly she just rode the wave of pleasure that didn't relent, as Gansey's mouth was still applying suction to her clit.

When the last of the pleasure receded, she slumped against the door, Gansey's hands and shoulders bracing her against the wall the only things keeping her upright.

Gansey chuckled. “Good?” Something unintelligible came out of Blue's mouth. “I'll take that as a yes.” He slowly lowered her feet to the floor, standing and holding her against the wall until she could stand on her own.

“Fuck, Gansey,” she said shakily.

“That's the plan,” he gave her a lopsided smile, though it contrasted with his dark, hooded eyes.

Blue rubbed her thighs together in anticipation. She unbuttoned his jeans and pulled them down until his dick sprang free. “Mmmm,” she hummed in contentment, stroking it. Gansey released a heavy breath, hips jerking forward.

After a minute of this, he pushed her hand away. “I want in you. Now.” She shivered at the demanding tone in his voice. She moved to go around him but he grabbed her around the waist and forced her back against the door. “Where do you think you're going?”

“The couch?” It came out as a question.

“No. Here.” He grabbed his wallet out of his jeans pocket and pulled out a condom. He tossed the wrapper over his shoulder and rolled it on. Bending down to grip her thighs, he pulled her up from the floor and braced her against the door. She gasped as he lined himself up with her and slid in, faster than expected. “Fuck. Fuck, you feel so good,” he groaned into her neck.

He pulled out, almost to the tip and slammed back into her. The force caused quite a loud thump against the door. Between that and Blue's moans, all of their neighbors could probably hear them and know what they were doing, not to mention any passersby. Blue thought about mentioning it, but then Gansey was pushing into her again and all coherent thought went out the window. It was all she could do to grab onto Gansey's shirt and let him ravage her completely.

Blue's moans were becoming louder and higher pitched, her muscles clenching tighter. “Gansey. Gansey, I-I'm going to cum. Fuck, Gansey, harder.”

Gansey obliged, his breaths coming faster and shorter. She could feel his need to get her off before cumming himself. She tilted her hips slightly to the right and then- he was hitting the perfect spot on every thrust; she could see stars. She came hard, pulsing around him. “Fuck, yes, Blue,” he ground out as he chased his own orgasm. When he reached it, his knees buckled, almost sending them both to the ground.

As they both regained their breath, he slid out of her, buttoning his jeans and going to the kitchen to throw away the condom. When he returned, Blue was already back in her jeans. “That's a damn shame,” Gansey said, but he was smiling. He sat heavily on the couch, lifting one arm for Blue. She tucked herself into his side.

“Thank you again, for the pictures back,” Blue said after a minute.

“You're more than welcome. I should've shown them to you before ever using them, anyway. Did you- did you happen to look at them?” he asked hopefully.

“No. Adam threw them out for me,” she said. She felt a little pang of regret. “Sorry. I probably should have.”

“You were angry. I understand.”

“I kind of wish I'd kept them now. I'd like to see them.”

“Well.” Gansey shifted uncomfortably. “Well, if you really want to, I... kind of still have the negatives.”

Blue turned to him. “What?”

“I meant to return them with the pictures but I forgot them and by the time I realized, I'd already given you back the pictures and I didn't want you to think I made extra copies of them- which I definitely didn't- so I just kept them,” he rambled. He took a deep breath. “If you want me to throw them out, I absolutely will. Please don't be mad at me again.”

“I'm not mad. I believe you.” She tapped her thigh. “Do you think maybe we could get them developed? Just so I could see?”

“Whatever you want. They're yours. We could go drop them off and get food while they develop. It should only take about an hour.”

“Yes, please. Let's do that.”

“Being with you is going to be a roller coaster, isn't it?” he teased.

“Blink song,” she said as an answer.

~~~~

An hour and a half later, they were back in Gansey's apartment, the envelope of pictures in hand. They settled into Gansey's bed to look at them, only getting distracted by their horizontal positions for a couple minutes. After, Blue righted her bra and licked her kiss-swollen lips, taking the envelope from its nearly forgotten place on Gansey's nightstand.

“Ready?” Gansey asked before she could take out the pictures.

“Ready as I'll ever be,” she replied, and dumped the contents on the bedspread.

Most of the pictures were her. There were a couple of pictures of scenery and sunsets and even a couple of Ronan. But the overwhelming majority were her. Tying up her vans, laughing with Adam, pulling up stockings, getting ready in Gansey's bathroom, and smoking. So many pictures of her smoking. She hadn't realized Gansey was even looking at her when most of them were taken. It turned out he was always watching her.

He was watching her now, as she ran her fingers over the pictures gently. His smile twisted a little when she found the one she was looking for. “We don't have to keep these copies either. We can throw them out as soon as you're done looking. We can-”

“Quiet, Gansey,” she whispered. She held up the picture of her smoking on Gansey's lap to look at it better. It was in color, but the lighting made it look gray scale. The black of her bra and panties was stark against the white of the walls in the background. Her skin seemed to glow. Most of her face wasn't in the picture, as she had been looking up, and the smoke covered what little did show, curling sensually around her breasts. It was sexy and hot but also sweet and tasteful. “I look... beautiful.”

“You always look that way to me,” Gansey said softly.

Blue's throat tightened. She leaned over to kiss him, trying not to crumple any of the photos. The kiss was as soft as Gansey's voice and just as emotional. She pulled back and cleared her throat so she could speak without squeaking. “You should take the spot.”

“What spot?” Gansey asked, brushing a lock of hair away from her face.

“In the gallery. You should put up this picture.”

He stared at her dumbly. “But you don't want people to see it."

“I didn't. I felt... exposed. Vulnerable. And maybe a little used, mostly because you didn't even ask me,” she explained. “But I know you didn't mean it that way, and you can't really see my face anyway. Only people that know I'm with you would really know that it's me, right? So I'm giving you permission. Use this photo for the gallery.”

“God, I think I love you,” he said, then immediately blushed. “I- I didn't mean- I'm sorry- it's-”

“I think I love you too,” Blue said, smiling. Then she pulled Gansey back to her for another kiss.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long but here is them at the gallery finally

Blue had to admit to herself that she did clean up well. She was in another dress, one that her cousin Orla had sent her back in freshman year. It was slightly inappropriate, black and tight, with geometric shapes cut out strategically, but it was by far the nicest piece of clothing Blue owned. She balanced it out with innocent flats and very minimal makeup. The silver hoops were back this time as well.

She met Adam by the door where he was waiting for her in his best suit, the one he took her to prom in. He looked her over appreciatively. “You look amazing,” he said with a kiss on her cheek.

“You're looking pretty good tonight, too,” she responded, adjusting the small purse on her shoulder. “Where's Ronan?”

A knock sounded just as she asked and Adam opened the door to reveal Ronan, also dressed up in a nice suit. “Hey,” he said softly. His eyes raked down Adam's body slowly before Adam stepped forward for a chaste kiss. Well, chaste for them. Adam was kissing his way across the little bit of the tattoo that hooked out from Ronan's collar before Blue cleared her throat. Ronan's eyes snapped up to her. “Damn, maggot, look at you. Gansey's going to lose his shit.”

“Thanks.” Blue rolled her eyes. “Are we all ready to go?”

“I think so, Gansey's already at the gallery, told me to have you text him when we got there. HE had to go in early for opening night.”

They piled into the BMW and made the drive across town to the building the school had rented out for the gallery. It was was decorated with fairy lights and a sign outside advertised that it was an open house event by the college.

Blue was just texting Gansey as they stepped into the building when strong arms wrapped around her from behind. “Give me one good reason I shouldn't say fuck it, take you home, and bend you over my couch right now,” Gansey growled, pressing his face into her neck. Adam and Ronan laughed and left to do a lap around the room to give them a little privacy.

Blue smirked and reached up to pat Gansey's perfectly styled hair. “Blink 182. Also, because you got a whole section of this gallery dedicated to you. You didn't just get one piece in, you got your entire project on display. That's something to be proud of.”

“I'm also rather proud of the noises I can draw out of you with just my fingers, wouldn't you prefer to see that?” A shiver ran up Blue's spine.

“I sure would,” a voice said right beside them. Gansey jumped slightly but made no move to let Blue go as Henry laughed and held out two flutes of champagne. Blue blushed and gratefully accepted one of the glasses as an excuse to look anywhere but the two boys. Gansey waved his off and Henry kept it for himself. “I just came from your section, Gansey boy. Stunning as expected. Of course the subject made it easy to enjoy as well.” He winked at Blue and her flush crept down to her neck and chest.

“Thanks,” she murmured, taking a healthy gulp of the champagne.

“Thank you, Henry,” Gansey said, straightening up as his eyes fell on something in the crowd.

Blue stood on tiptoes to find what he was looking at, but didn't find anything of interest. Adam and Ronan were kissing in a corner, of course, but Blue didn't see anyone else recognizable. Then she finally found Gansey's project on the far wall. It was made of small prints of some of the pictures he'd taken, surrounding an extremely large print of Blue smoking in Gansey's lap. There were three people standing in front of it, and they were what held Gansey's attention.

“Excuse us. We'll see you before you leave?” Blue told Henry, the last part coming out like a question.

“I'm actually leaving now, but I'm sure I'll see you soon. Let me know how the rest of the night goes.” He tipped his champagne glass into Blue's, filling it back up and wandered off.

“Come on, there are people I want to introduce you to,” Gansey said, pulling Blue's hand to guide her through the crowd towards his project section.

“Dick!” the man in front of Gansey's project boomed.

Blue looked around, trying to find who had offended the man enough for him to start yelling names.

“Hello, Dad,” Gansey replied.

Blue looked up in surprise. “Dick?” she mouthed at him. Gansey just shook his head at her. She pressed her lips together to stop the laughter from escaping.  _ Dick _ was going to get an earful tonight. Then her brain caught up to his answer. “Dad?”

“Yes, Blue, this is my mom and dad and my sister, Helen. Everybody, this is Blue, my girlfriend,” he said proudly, wrapping one arm around her again.

“It's lovely to meet you,” his mother said, stepping forward to hug her.

“Thank you, you too,” Blue said, shaking hands with Gansey's father and sister.

“So, is this you, Blue?” Helen asked, tipping her drink towards the large picture of Blue smoking.

“Helen...,” Gansey said in warning.

“It's fine,” Blue waved him off. The champagne was making her braver than she might have normally been while meeting her boyfriend's family for the first time. “Yes, it's me.” Gansey's mother smiled politely and looked away from Blue and his father was looking anywhere but the main picture.

“So you're a smoker then,” Helen pushed.

“Helen,” Gansey barked.

“She said it was fine,” she smiled sweetly at Gansey.

“Yes, I'm a smoker,” Blue said, draining the last of her drink.

“Hasn't Dick here given you a long spiel about the dangers of smoking yet?”

“He has,” Blue met Helen's eyes. “But I'm not one to let others dictate what I do with my life. I know it's a bad habit but,” she shrugged,” it relaxes me. I'll probably try to quit again after I graduate and things are less hectic.”

“That's a good plan,” Gansey agreed, pressing his lips to the top of her hair.

“Well, it's a top notch project, with quite a beautiful subject, if you don't mind my saying,” Gansey's father said.

“Indeed,” Gansey's mother nodded along. “You simply must come by for dinner sometime.”

“Of course, I'd love to,” Blue agreed easily, taking another flute of champagne from a passing server.

“Well, we will take our leave now, we're quite proud of you, son,” Gansey Sr. dropped a hand on Gansey Jr.'s shoulder. “Don't be a stranger.”

“Bye, I'll see you soon,” Gansey called after them. As soon as they were out of earshot, Gansey turned to her. “Sorry about that. I probably should've given you some warning.”

“It's okay. They seem...,” Blue trailed off.

“Pretentious?”

“I was going to go with nice but yeah, a little.” She laughed.

Gansey laughed with her and pulled her closer. “So it's nearly the end of the semester.”

“Yeah...?” Blue looked up at him. He was strangely serious now.

“Have you given any more thought to... you know, moving in with me?” his voice cracked on the last word.

She had actually, since she and Gansey had made up, but she still wasn't sure she wanted to. What if he did something like this again and she had no escape? “I don't know if it's a good idea....”

“Please? I swear I will never hurt you again. And if I do, you can have the room and I'll be the one to leave the apartment, not you. You never have to worry about this happening again,” he pleaded, guessing her thoughts.

“I don't know, Gansey.”

He sighed dramatically. “You'll warm up to the idea. I'll get Henry to harass you until you agree,” he teased, skimming his nose along her jawline.

Henry....

“Gansey, I have to tell you something.”

“Hmmmm?” he hummed, a finger replacing his nose along the line it was running so he could lean down and kiss her neck gently.

“It's about Henry.” He added a little suction at the base of her neck. “And me.”

Gansey pulled back to look at her. “What about you and Henry?” he asked quizzically.

“While we were broken up, actually the night I came to talk to you when I was drunk, I sort of... kissed Henry.” Gansey's eyes grew perceptibly darker. “Well not kissed, but kind of started to. I was drunk and he didn't let it go too far, said he was there to convince me to talk to you. But I tried to and if you want us all to move in together, I think you should know,” she rushed the words out before Gansey could get too angry.

“You kissed Cheng?” he rumbled. “Is that what he meant that night when he said he couldn't do me like that?”

“Yes. Well kind of. Really all I did was lick his lip but then he stopped me and-”

Gansey held a hand up to stop her. “We're leaving.” He grabbed her hand and started to lead her through the mass of people. “I have an idea.”

“What idea? You didn't talk to Ronan and Adam, and don't you have to be here to talk to people about your project?” she tried as he all but dragged her out.

“I'll talk to them later and I can come again tomorrow.” He looked down at her with an odd look in his eyes. They looked... hungry? “Or next weekend. Whenever. Right now, we're going to meet Henry at our place.”

He pulled out his phone to text Henry as they made their way to the Pig. Blue felt her stomach drop and she sat in silence the whole ride back to the apartment, picking at her finger nails nervously. Henry's car was already parked in the lot when they arrived, having had a head start to campus.

He was leaning against the wall across from Gansey's door when they exited the elevator. Henry looked up with a smile that dropped into confusion when he caught the looks on their faces. “What's up?”

Gansey said nothing and unlocked the door to let them in. He gently shut the door. “Tell me everything,” he demanded.

“Well, we were at Cabeswater,” Blue began. “Henry found me there and we started dancing. I was really drunk and mad and- I'm sorry.”

Henry looked between her and Gansey with wide eyes, having figured out what they were talking about. “It didn't mean anything, Gansey. She wasn't with it.”

“You were dancing and then what?” Gansey pressed. He was playing with his lip rings now, something he usually only did when Blue did something particularly sexy. What?

“Then he asked me to go outside so we could talk. He wanted me to talk to you again but I was so mad at you that I- I tried to kiss him. I just hugged him and licked his lip and then he told me about the gallery spot. That's all that happened, I swear,” Blue said, silently willing him to understand.

“That's it?”

“That's it,” Henry agreed.

“You must have some sort of feelings toward him if you were willing to kiss him.”

“No, it didn't mean anything!” Blue repeated Henry.

“I know you, Blue, you wouldn't kiss him if you didn't feel anything for him. And Henry, I know you like Blue, you've been talking about how hot she is and flirting with her since you met her,” Gansey insisted. Henry opened his mouth to defend them again, but Gansey cut him off, his voice slow and deep. “Kiss her.”


End file.
